Natsules
by TheSavageMan100
Summary: The seventh of Fairy Tail's Disney Parody Series, based on Hercules. Natsu Dragneel is the son of the Fire God Igneel, who had been turned into a mortal by the machinations of Mard Geer, God of the Underworld. If he is to return home to Mt. Olympus, Natsu would have to battle the forces of evil, and learn what it takes to be a true hero.
1. The Gospel Truth

**Author's Note:  
** _Hey, folks! TheSavageMan100 is here! I am proud to present to you the seventh of Fairy Tail's Disney Parody series, Natsules, based on Hercules of Disney Renaissance fame! One of the very first Disney movies I've enjoyed when I was a kid, it has comedy gold, beautiful jazz music, authentic sound effects (at least on VHS), and the voice of Hades, which always cracks me up. It's also my most favorite world in the Kingdom Hearts series! I was so happy, that I had to buy some of his MERCHANDISE! (Sorry, I couldn't resist.)_

 _Taken from the gods as a newborn and adopted on Earth-land, Natsu becomes an awkward, teenage pillar of fire (Literally!). Trying to fit in, he discovers Igneel, the King of the Gods and Lord of Fire, is his dad, and his home is on Mount Olympus— if he can move from "zero" to true hero._

 _Natsu teams with babyhood Olympus pal Happy, his childhood Earth-land friends Wendy Marvell and Romeo Conbolt, a retired trainer of heroes named Yajima, and the members of the underappreciated magical guild known as Fairy Tail. Along the way, Natsu encounters the blonde beauty Lucy Heartfilia and the King of the Underworld, Mard Geer, who is preparing a hostile takeover of Olympus by resurrecting the Etherious, titans of monstrous power that had been sealed away for eons. Mard is armed with his minions Kain Hikaru and Rustyrose for help, and only Natsu stands in his way!_

 **DISCLAIMER:** All rights belong to Disney, Hiro Mashima, A-1 Pictures, and Bridge. Please support the official release.

* * *

It was just another day at the local museum of history. For less than twenty-four hours, people have been touring the exhibits, looking over different kinds of artifacts that had made their mark in human history. Many exhibits attracted such folks by the hundreds, but there was a certain exhibit that soared high above the rest, one which held artifacts, statues, and vases forged during the age of ancient myth. This exhibit housed symbols and objects that used to belong to people who had their names engraved in legend and lived on in the hearts of men.

At 10:00 P.M., the museum was closed. The night was warm, and the windows quietly lapped the exhibits with moonlight. Shades of dark blue turned black in the sky above, and a swift wind pushed the clouds along as the moon kept vigil over the museum, including the mythology exhibit.

 _Long ago, in the faraway place known as Earth-land, there was a golden age of powerful gods and extraordinary heroes. But the greatest and strongest of all these heroes was the mighty Natsu Dragneel._

All direction was focused on a vase located at the center of the exhibit. It was painted with a caricature of a young man with spiked salmon hair wearing a one-sleeved black waistcoat, white shorts, sandals, and a white scarf with dragon scales. This was Natsu Dragneel, the aforementioned hero fighting against a treacherous monster with a fist of burning fire.

 _But what is the measure of a true hero? Ah, that is what our story is…_

"Ugh! Give me a break!" a female voice interrupted the narrator in annoyance. "Can you even believe this guy?"

 _Wait, what?_

On top of Natsu's vase, paintings of five figures suddenly came to life. One of them was a pale-skinned woman with brown eyes and dark purple hair tied in two ponytails at the back, and she wore a revealing purple dress. Her name was Ultear Malkovich.

The second figure was a young girl of short stature with short pink hair and bright green eyes. She wore a golden wing-like headgear around her ears, a tight purple leotard, brown thigh-high boots with white stripes at the top, and a red cape with a golden lining around the edges. Her name was Meredy.

The third figure was a slender woman of average height with amber-colored eyes and brown hair extending down her back. She wore an outfit reminiscent of the traditional Indian sari designed with a primarily scarlet color scheme, a white choli worn underneath, golden bangles worn around her wrists, gold brassards worn on her upper arms, and gold anklets worn above her ankles and brown sandals. Her name was Éclair.

The fourth figure was a young girl in her early teens with long brown hair tied in two pigtails. She wore a short orange dress, two long orange sleeves wrapped around just below her shoulders and flared down into large, embroidered cuffs, and light brown boots with dark bows. Her name was Zera.

The last figure was a young woman with short green hair adorned with two blue cross-shaped objects attached to the sides of her heads. She wore cross-shaped earrings, a burgundy swimsuit, a fancy coat with blue fur around the collar, a gold choker around her neck with chains attached to it, and dark-colored high-heel shoes. Her name was Brandish Mu.

"Would you listen to this lame excuse of a narrator?" Brandish commented bitterly, taking out a mask and putting in on in a dramatic gesture. "He's trying to make the story sound like some Earth-land tragedy. If anyone were to listen to his way of telling the story, it would end up bad for everybody's tastes."

Éclair pointed out, "But Brandish, without a narrator, how will the audience learn about the story? They might get confused. We should let the invisible narrator do his job."

Meredy whined, "No! He'll make the story worse! We're not gonna let him tell the story!" He turned to Ultear, "Will he, Ul?"

"Well, it's up to the audience to decide whether they want to listen to our invisible narrator, or someone else," Ultear answered with a shrug.

"Maybe someone else should tell the story," Zera suggested. "What if _we_ are the narrators? I mean, we're the Goddesses of History and the Arts…"

"Say, that's a wonderful idea, Zera!" Ultear beamed. "We'll be the narrators of the story."

Meredy agreed, "Definitely, Ul! The audience will be very excited."

Brandish grinned, "Yeah, girl. I bet some people would want to know our view of the story. And I mean, the _perfect_ view of the story, for like, the _historically correct_ view."

Zera wondered, "But do you think people would want to hear the historically correct view of the story?"

"I suppose there's only one way to find out," Ultear smiled.

"Does this mean we're going to tell the story?" Éclair asked hopefully.

"Let's ask the invisible narrator first," Ultear replied. She looked towards the screen and said to the invisible narrator, "Mr. Narrator, we'll tell the story. We'll take everything from here."

 _"_ _You go, girl,_ " the narrator replied in a suave note.

Ultear, Meredy, Éclair, Zera, and Brandish gestured to themselves, and on cue for a special number, they moved their hips slightly. Ultear introduced herself and the group, "We are the Muses, Goddesses of History and the Arts, and proclaimers of heroes."

"Heroes like Natsu Dragneel," Meredy added, fanning herself with a leaf.

"Honey, you mean _Hunky_ Dragneel!" Brandish cheered, looking down at Natsu's painting admirably. "Oh, I'd like to make some sweet music with him…"

"Do you mind, Brandish?" Ultear stared sternly at Brandish, before she turned back to the screen. Grabbing a piece of paint from the vase, she flipped it and transformed it into a set of stairs, as the other Muses hummed under Ultear's narration, "Now then, our story begins long before Natsu, many eons ago…"

Muses: **_Aaahhh_**

The scene changed colors, and the Muses walked down the stairs rhythmatically.

Ultear: **_Back when the world was new  
The planet Earth was down on its luck_**

"Whoa!" Brandish realized that she was being left behind by her fellow Muses. She then tried to catch up, but ended up falling down the steps.

 ** _And everywhere gigantic brutes  
Called Etherious ran amok_**

The Muses stood by a vase depicting gigantic creatures with bizarre, destructive magic, creating chaos in the mortal world. They were known as the Etherious, the mighty rulers of the world when it was first created. Selfish with their own aspirations and drunk with power, those demons struck fear into the hearts of mankind. It was a dark time for the mortal world under the Etherious' rule; black clouds cloaked the sky, unpenetrated by the sun's rays. Natural disasters erupted, and plant life all over the world withered away. Humanity was overcome with grief and sorrow.

Throughout the narration, a vase almost fell on Brandish, but she dodged it moments before it hit the floor.

Brandish: **_It was a nasty place!  
There was a mess wherever you stepped_**

Ultear: **_Where chaos reigned and earthquakes  
And volcanoes never slept!_**

"Whoo!" Brandish cried happily. "Say it, girlfriend!"

Muses: **_And then along came Igneel!_**

The Muses directed their attention to a vase depicting a tall figure emerging from the clouds in a fiery explosion. His bodily majority was covered in bright crimson red, several scars were located on his stomach, left cheek, and left eye, his hair was long, dark red, and spiky, and he wore a prominent red robe and a white scarf adorned with the scales of a dragon. His name was Igneel, the King of the Gods of Olympus and God of Fire. Just when it was believed that all hope was lost, Igneel poured down from the heavens in a ball of fire and confronted the Etherious.

Brandish: **_He hurled his fire breath_**

Muses: **_He zapped!_**

Igneel fought heroically against the giant monsters who ruled the Earth, and avenged humanity's suffering by throwing a massive fire breath that sent the Etherious flying into the ocean.

Brandish: **_Locked those suckers in a vault!_**

Muses: **_They're trapped!_**

The gigantic demons were outraged as they were now trapped in another realm within the ocean, sealed away by pillars of golden flame keeping them from escaping.

 ** _And on his own stopped chaos in its tracks  
And that's the gospel truth!  
The guy was too "Type A" to just relax!_**

The Muses assembled themselves into a giant "A" to illustrate their point, before they broke up and resumed their song number.

Meredy: **_And that's the world's first dish_**

"Yeah, baby!" Brandish agreed. The Muses then gestured to a vase of Igneel standing proudly on the clouds for his accomplishments. Thenceforth, he and his family of gods became known as the Gods of Olympus, or Olympians, and they watch over and protect the humans from the heavens.

 ** _Ig tamed the globe while still in his youth_**

The Muses then danced with the vase of Igneel behind them.

Muses: **_Though, honey, it may seem imposs'ble,  
That's the gospel truth!_**

The Muses then danced around a vase with a picture of Mount Olympus, the home of the Gods.

 ** _On Mount Olympus, life was neat  
And smooth as sweet vermouth  
Though, honey, it may seem imposs'ble,  
That's the gospel truth!_**

 ** _Ah, ah (Ah)  
Ah, ah (Oh, yeah, yeah!)  
Ah, ah (Hey, hey, hey!)  
Ah, ah (Hey, yeah!)_**

And thus, we begin our story of the greatest hero in Earth-land mythology. It was a remarkable, unforgettable tale of justice, friendship, love, triumph against impossible odds, terror, and greater responsibility.


	2. Natsu's Birthday Party

The great mountain of Mount Olympus was vibrating with excitement and anticipation. A call to invitation stretched out from the highest clouds to the lowest, where it was paved with a crowd of gods and goddesses, dressed in mystical robes and dresses most fair. Eventually, the population assembled in the throne room of Igneel, the ruler of Olympus, for a momentous and joyful day.

A grand celebration was hosted, where the gods and goddesses of Olympus gathered to celebrate the birth of the newborn son of Igneel and his wife Cassandra, the Queen of the Gods. Among the great deities invited were Grandeeney the Goddess of the Sky, Metalicana the God of Metal and War, Weisslogia the God of Light and Purity, Skiadrum the God of Shadow and Stealth, Taurus the Blacksmith God, Mavis the Goddess of Love and Kindness, Imitatia the Goddess of Childhood, Chagot the Goddess of Seasons, Kemo-Kemo the God of Plant Life and Harvest, Aquarius the Goddess of the Seas, Cancer the God of Fashion, Aries the Goddess of Emotion, Lyra the Goddess of Song, Virgo the Goddess of Earth, Sagittarius the God of the Hunt, Scorpio the God of Adventure, Gemini the Twin Gods of Fun, Capricorn the God of Virtue, Libra the Goddess of Wisdom and Knowledge, Pisces the Goddess of Shape and Form, and much more.

The sunlight of the sun god Atlas Flame pierced through the clouds, giving a comforting warm glow to Cassandra's newborn baby. The goddess in question was a beautiful woman with glowing skin and wavy brown hair, wearing a glittering pink dress and a silver tiara.

"Natsu, my dear!" Cassandra cooed, as her baby boy reached up to her tiara and removed it. Laughing playfully, she took the tiara and placed it back on her head, and laid the baby onto a crib materialized from the clouds. "Behave yourself, darling."

Natsu blinked around the cloudy atmosphere when the face of Igneel leapt in front of him. "Awww, look at this. Look how cute he is." The God of Fire made babbling noises to appease his baby boy, waggling his finger in front of him. Natsu giggled back, and he grabbed Igneel's finger and lifted him above the cradle.

"Hah!" Igneel said in amazement. "Wow, he's strong. Just like his old man."

"Whoa! Excuse me!" a voice cried. "Hot stuff comin' through! Excuse me! One side, Metalicana."

Flashing past the gods at a speed of light was a young man with largely spiked brown hair and dressed in a black tuxedo and sunglasses. His name was Leo, the Messenger of the Gods. Approaching Igneel and Cassandra, he smiled charmingly, "Good morning, Queen Cassandra. My, do you look fabulous this morning." He bent down on one knee and presented a bouquet of flowers to Cassandra, "I brought you these flowers, grown from the gardens of the Celestial Spirit World."

Cassandra remarked, "Why, Leo, they're lovely."

Leo nodded, "Yeah. I had Pyxis and Caelum do the arrangements." He flew up to Igneel, "Fabulous birthday party for your newborn kid, ain't it, Igneel? You know, I haven't seen this much love in a room since Aries discovered herself."

Sure enough, Aries was seen looking at her reflection in a mirror, and she blushed just looking at it. "Oh, gosh…" she whispered to herself.

Cancer appeared beside Aries and asked, holding up his trademark crab scissors, "Would ya like a trim, baby?"

Aries replied blushingly, "No thank you, Cancer." She touched her hair gently, "I like it this length."

Leo noticed something from Natsu's crib. He said, "Hey, check it out. Your kid's playing with one of your fire balls from your nimbus closet."

Igneel and Cassandra turned to see Natsu grabbing his father's fire ball and nibbling on it playfully. Cassandra was concerned of the baby's safety, as mortal mothers were; though Natsu was born a god, he was still a baby.

Cassandra said to her husband, "Igneel, keep those away from the baby."

"Aww, Natsu will be fine," Igneel assured his wife with a sly smile. "He inherits my fire magic. It grants him the ability to absorb and devour any attribute of fire, and his strength increases every time he eats it. The more fire he eats, the more strength he gains." He wrapped his arm around Cassandra's shoulder, "So don't worry. He won't hurt himself. Let the kid have a little fun."

Then, as if drawn by a mystic force, every trace of the small ball of flame was sucked into Natsu's nostrils. Feeling a strange sensation in his nose, Natsu sneezed, spitting out a strong torrent of fire. Several gods yelped and jumped out of the way, until Grandeeney whacked it with a sword. The flames instantly destroyed a pillar, which immediately mended itself, luckily because the pillars were made out of clouds.

"Oh, dear!" Grandeeney exclaimed. "I have to say, Lord Igneel, your baby child is rather reckless."

"Kids these days," Igneel chuckled, rolling his eyes. He then projected to his fellow gods and goddesses, "My brothers and sisters, on behalf of my son, I'd like to thank you all for your wonderful gifts!" He gestured to a huge pile of golden toys presented by the Olympians as homage, tribute, and respect to the infant.

"What about _our_ gift, dear?" Cassandra reminded Igneel that the two had to give a gift of their own.

"Well, now that you mention it, let's see here…" Igneel pondered, trying to come up with the perfect family gift. He noticed a few clouds floating nearby, "We'll take, hmm… yes, a little cirrus, and a touch of nimbostratus…" He mixed the two pieces of clouds together into the shape of a small creature, "…and a dash of cumulus." To put the finishing touches, he slammed the last piece of cloud into the back of the creature, forming wings.

Igneel moved the cloudy creature in front of Natsu. Just then, out of the bodily cloud popped the head of a blue cat with big black eyes and pink ears.

"His name is Happy," Igneel explained, as the newly bred cat-like creature shook the rest of the cloud off. The rest of his body consisted of a white underbelly, blue fur, a tail with white fur on the top, and white feathered wings. "An Exceed, a bluebird of happiness. And he's all yours, son."

"Aye!" This was the baby Exceed's first word. He almost fell off Igneel's hand, until his wings stretched and flew him upward. He flew over to Natsu, who promptly bonked his head against the little Exceed's.

"Aye!" Happy cried again, and he licked Natsu's face with his tongue. Natsu was sacred and anxious at first, but when the Exceed snuggled in with him, the baby placed his arms around his new friend and hugged him. The rest of the gods said "ooh's" and "aah's", touched by the emotional meeting between the two young friends.

Metalicana remarked, "Hey, Ig's little brat is so cute. So is that cat."

Weisslogia nodded, "Agreed. Those two heavenly birds are perfect for each other."

"Mind his head," Cassandra stated.

"He's so tiny," Igneel grinned. He picked up Natsu, who nibbled on the white scaled scarf around his neck. The scarf's two prominent marks were the symbol of Olympus at the front, and Natsu's name at the back. In the end, Natsu surrendered to the temptations of sleep as he yawned. Igneel gently placed the baby back in his crib and wrapped a blanket.

"My boy," Igneel whispered. "My little Natsu." He concluded with a gentle kiss on the forehead. It would appear that nothing could ruin this touching moment…

"How sentimental."

A deep, condescending voice echoed from the clouds of Olympus, catching everyone's attention. It belonged to a tall man with long and wavy black hair reaching his shoulders and tied up in a very large ponytail, and dark slanted eyes. He donned a long-sleeved black jacket trimmed with a light-colored flame pattern and white rolled up cuffs, a purple v-necked shirt adorned with a buckle just below his clavicle, light-colored pants, and black boots. His name was Mard Geer Tartaros, the God of the Dead and ruler of the Underworld, as well as Igneel's brother.

"You know, I haven't been this choked up since I got a hunk of moussaka caught in my throat! Huh?" Mard said, asking an opinion from any of the gods and goddesses. Of course, their only reply was a frown. Mard had gained notoriety over the eons as a nasty, sleazy deity that had caused a lot of problems for both gods and mortals. Though he played an important part in helping Igneel overthrow the Etherious in the historic battle known as the _Etheriomachy,_ Mard was not accepted in the Olympian pantheon. Mard was dissatisfied with his promotion as God of the Underworld, but had no choice and became the ruler of his new realm, where the souls of the dead journey. He had been longing to place himself higher on par with the Olympians ever since.

Mard said dryly, "I don't know if this is an audience or a mosaic." He made his way through, greeting those he passed by, "Hello there, how are you doing? You're looking good, Chagot. Nice dress."

"So, Mard Geer, you finally made it!" Igneel grinned. He approached Mard and gave him a bone-crushing hug, and placed his hand heavily on his brother's shoulder. "How are things in the Underworld?"

Mard shrugged, removing Igneel's hand, "Oh, as usual. Things in the Underworld are just fine. A little dark, a little gloomy, and as always, full of dead people. What do you expect from someone who ruled the dead for so long?"

Upon noticing Natsu in his cradle, the Lord of the Dead approached the baby with a cruel smirk. "Ah, there is the little fire breather, my nephew, my little smootchie." With a flick of his hands, Mard materialized a sucker with a spiky skeleton head from a small cloud of black dust. "And here is a sucker for the little sucker. Here you go, you just…"

Mard went to put the sucker in his nephew's mouth, but Natsu grabbed his uncle's hand before he could do so. Mard cried from the intense pain, and after a struggle, he managed to get his finger free, which had been slightly broken as a result of Natsu's strength.

Metalicana laughed in amusement, "All of a sudden, I'm a member of the brat's fan club!"

Mard cringed, painfully holding his broken finger, "What a powerful little tyke."

"Come on, Mard, don't be such a stiff," Igneel pouted, throwing his arm around Mard. "You should join the celebration. Enjoy the party and live a little."

Mard ducked under Igneel and replied, "Well, I could use a little rest and relaxation, but unlike you gods having the time of your lives above Earth, I regrettably have a full-time gig that I must attend, which you, by the way, were so charitably generous enough to bestow upon me… _Igneel._ " He said his brother's name with much loath and contempt in it. "So, I can't. I'd love to, but I can't."

Igneel insisted, "You oughta slow down; you'll work yourself to death." He then paused and began to laugh hysterically at the joke he just made, "HA HA HA! WORK YOURSELF TO DEATH!"

It wasn't long before the gods and goddesses joined in the laughter. Mard, however, was not pleased. It was true that he had spent an eternity ruling the Underworld and watching over the souls of the dead. But he wanted better; he deserved to be respected among the gods. He deserved to be placed higher. He deserved to be worshiped.

Igneel collapsed on a chair materialized from the clouds, pounding his arms and shaking with laughter. "Oh, I kill myself!"

"If only," Mard laughed politely, as he turned away and departed from the throne room. His voice then turned bitter, " _If only…"_ By the tone of his voice, it would appear that he wanted his brother to die. Better yet, he wanted to kill Igneel personally when he had the chance.

* * *

We now go back to the gallery, where the Muses stood at a vase depicting Mard Geer walking down the stairs of Mount Olympus to his realm of the Underworld. He stood on a rowboat at the River Styx, the river of endlessly floating souls, operated by an undead servant.

Ultear stated, "If there's one god you don't want to get steamed up, it's Mard Geer Tartaros."

Meredy added in a scary tone, "Because he had an evil plan." The image then turned back into the real world, where Mard Geer was rowed across the River Styx.

Brandish: **_He ran the Underworld,  
But thought the dead were dull and uncouth_**

One of the souls in the river crept onto the boat, and tried to claw at Mard's feet. The Lord of the Dead replied with a blast of dark lightning from his hand, knocking the soul back into the river. Satisfied with his work, he blew the smoke from the tip of his fingers.

 ** _He was as mean as ruthless  
And that's the gospel truth_**

The boat then approached a large gate that opened, and suddenly the sounds of snarls and snapping of teeth resonated within the dark depths. Standing on a platform was a massive dark blue humanoid demon covered with a series of spikes all over his body. His name was Deliora, Mard Geer's pet and guardian of the entrance to the Underworld. The monster growled ferociously, expecting something his master found from the world above.

 ** _He had a plan to shake things up_**

In response, Mard threw a hunk of meat at Deliora. The spiked demon grabbed the meat and carnivorously munched on it like a dog hastily eating his meal.

 ** _And that's the gospel truth_**

Upon reaching the entrance, the boat arrived at Mard Geer's lair; a huge rock formation shaped like a skull, brimming with eeriness and empty shadows. The dark headquarters of the Lord of the Dead defied the curtain of shadow with endless souls travelling from the long line to the center.

Indeed, the Underworld was very dull for his taste, but if everything went as he had hoped, Mard Geer would get a big _promotion_ very soon.


	3. The Prophecy

Disembarking from the boat, Mard Geer approached the stone stairs that led to the interior of his lair. A few visitors he invited to the Underworld were expected to arrive, and he had to be in his best behavior if he were to speak with them. Looking around, he found out that his incompetent henchmen were nowhere in sight, much to his disgust.

"Kain!" Mard screamed impatiently, his voice echoing upward.

Running down the long staircase was an overweight yet muscular white-skinned man wearing a large dark robe-like garment with a lighter-colored spotted design near the top, attached by belt-like collars wrapped around his chest, and superhero-looking tights. His name was Kain Hikaru. He laughed hastily, "Boss's callin' like a wyvern in the woods! I'm comin', your most Mard Geery-ness! WHOA!" He suddenly tripped, and his oversized body rolled down the stairs until he landed on a sharp trident attached to a wall. "YEOW!" Kain cried in pain.

"Rustyrose!" Mard yelled, calling out his next minion.

The second minion running down the stairs was a fairly tall and lanky man with silver-colored pompadour hair, and he wore silver glasses, a dark purple jacket with a fur trimming, a gray shirt underneath, long black pants, white designer gloves, and blue shoes. His name was Rustyrose. He exclaimed, "Oh, dear! The great Lord of the Dead has returned! The greatest amount of respect must be given to our glorious lord!" He panted hastily with every step of the stairs he took, "Just like I rehearsed. I can do this. I can do this."

However, the pompadour-haired man tripped on Kain by accident, who just managed to get himself free of the trident. The two tumbled down the stairs, ending with Rustyrose falling to the ground in front of Mard Geer. Kain followed soon after, and his enormous body fell onto Rustyrose's, giving him a bone-crushing squash, the latter screaming in pain.

"I'm surrounded by idiots," Mard rolled his eyes at his minions' clumsiness and stupidity.

"Kain Hikaru!" Kain stood up quickly and saluted Mard.

"And Rustyrose…" Rustyrose groaned, slowly standing up and following suit.

"Reporting for duty!" the two declared in unison.

"It's so hard to get good help these days," Mard admitted.

Rustyrose dusted himself off, "So, how was your visit with the Olympians?"

"Dreadful as always. But the next time I visit that insipid brother of mine, everything is going to change," Mard replied bitterly, and he walked up the stairs to his lair. "It shall begin soon… Darkness will pour forth from the doors of the Underworld, a darkness that will swallow all the world's light." He turned to Kain and Rustyrose, "I must return to my chambers. You two will let me know the instant they arrive."

"You mean the Fates?" Rustyrose asked. "They're already here."

" **WHHAAAAATTTTT?!** " Mard roared in shock, his body exploding with a tremendous aura of darkness. " **THE FATES ARE HERE AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME?!** "

Kain and Rustyrose's bodies trembled with uncontrollable fear. The anger and rage of Mard Gear Tartaros was so intense and horrifying that the two groveled at their feet in front of their master. They sobbed fearfully, "We are worms! Worthless worms!"

Noticing the terrified looks on Kain and Rustyrose's faces, Mard's dark aura gradually subsided, and he cooled down with a groan. He stated, "Note to self: I'll have to punish you for not reminding me, AFTER my meeting." He then continued walking up the stairs, leaving a baffled Kain and Rustyrose behind. He definitely owed his visitors an excuse for his tardiness.

* * *

The visitors in question were already at work in Mard Geer's conference room. One of them was an old woman with small eyes, wrinkled skin, stretched earlobes, and gray hair tied up in a huge bun. She wore a dark purple vest with a red cloak, studded bracelets on both her arms, and a necklace with three sun emblems. Her name was Ooba Babasaama.

The second visitor was a tall elderly woman with sandy blonde hair tied to a large ponytail and a long nose, and she wore a purple turtleneck dress and black cloak. Her name was Belno.

The last visitor was an old woman of short size with a flabby face covered in wrinkles, and the inner part of her gray eyebrows was almost always down. Her clothing consisted of a violet dress with long sleeves under a dark red vest, a frilly white collar with a pink ribbon, and a pair of brown boots. Her name was Hilda.

These women were known as the Sisters of Fate, or the Fates for short, the three goddesses that control and determine the fate of every living mortal. They have the uncanny ability to see the past, present, future, and it was made possible through the All-Seeing Eye, a magical artifact with the ability to predict and foresee. The Fates also determine whenever a mortal life was destined to cease, and when that mortal's time was almost up, they hold the Threads of Life, which contains the essence of that said person. One snap of the thread with the scissors, and poof! That person's life was ended, and he/she becomes a new resident of the Underworld.

"Darling, hold that mortal's Thread of Life, good and tight," Hilda grinned, as Belno held the thread carefully. With a smirk, Hilda took out her pair of scissors, held it near the thread, and spilt it in two with a single snip.

The next thing heard was the scream of a woman, indicating that her life had already ended.

"Incoming!" Belno called out.

As the Fates laughed madly at their work, Mard Geer entered the conference room and noticed a new soul floating into the Underworld. It flew past Mard and through the entrance to the Pit of Souls, where the souls of the dead were stored. The counter above the tunnel read "Over 5000000001 served."

Aware of Mard's arrival, the Fates turned to the god in question. Ooba greeted the Lord of the Dead with a courteous smile, "Ah, Mard Geer Tartaros. The ruler of the Underworld graces us with his presence. I can't say I approve of your... tardiness."

Mard Geer grumbled, "I know that, ladies. I'm sorry that I'm—"

"Late," Hilda interrupted.

"We knew you would be," Ooba stated.

"We know everything," Belno added, and she and her sisters passed along All-Seeing Eye to one another.

"Past…" Ooba chimed, holding the Eye.

"Present…" Belno added, taking the Eye from Ooba.

"And future," Hilda finished, taking the Eye from Belno. She turned and whispered to Kain and Rustyrose, who came along with Mard, "Best you remember this, boys; indoor plumbing. It's gonna be a big hit."

"Indoor plumbin'?" Kain questioned. "What's so great about indoor plumbin'?" He then scratched his head, "Gee, I'm stumped."

Mard cleared his throat, "Let me explain why I was late. I was at the party on Mount Olympus, and I lost track of—"

"We know!" the Fates cried, interrupting Mard. That was the only thing he disliked about the Fates; interrupting explanations they already knew.

"Right, I know you know," Mard confirmed. "So, here's the deal. It involves my brother, Igneel. Mr. High and Mighty, Mr. 'Hey You, Stop Scratching My Scales.' Now he has a—"

"A bouncing baby brat!" the Fates finished. They knew and foresaw the birth of Igneel's son.

"We know!" Belno screeched.

" **I KNOW!** " Mard screamed furiously, his dark aura burning up, and was almost about to lose his temper. Regaining his calm composure, he said, "I know, I get it. Now, will you please stop interrupting me? I get the idea that you know everything from the past to today."

Ooba crossed her arms and said, "Sure, tell us anything. It'd be rude to interrupt your… proposition."

Returning to the task at hand, Mard cleared his throat, "I know that you Sisters of Fate control the fate of all living things, and you side with neither good nor evil, but I have a feeling you'll be pleased to hear of my proposition." He created a small chess piece-like figure of the baby Natsu in his cradle and placed it in his table. He continued, "I am planning a hostile takeover of Mount Olympus, but I'm highly concerned of my brother's son— my nephew, Natsu. I ask you this: is he destined to ruin my plans?"

"Well…" Belno began.

"Oh, no, you don't!" Ooba shouted, tweaking Belno's nose to silence her. "You know the rules! We're not supposed to reveal the future to anyone, not even a god. We are bound by the Law of Gaia, and we must strictly abide to it!"

Mard was in deep thought of Ooba's words. He knew that the Fates would try to keep the secrets of the future to themselves. So he decided that the best way to get them to cooperate… was to compliment them. He spoke, "Oh, wait. My sincerest apologies. Is it alright if I ask you a question?" He turned to Belno, "I mean, Lady Belno, did you cut your hair or something?" He touched Belno's hair and waved it around, and the Fate giggled at his flattery. "You look fabulous. I mean, you look like a fate worse than death."

Belno giggled again, touched by Mard's attempts. Ooba, on the other hand, was not amused. With a growl, Ooba smacked her fellow Fate at the back of her head with her hand. Belno was holding the All-Seeing Eye at the time, and the hit sent it flying up in the air and onto Rustyrose's hands.

"Ugh, gross!" Rustyrose cringed. "The eye's slime is ruining my clothes!" He threw it over to Kain, who backed away.

"Yuck! I ain't touchin' that thing!" Kain retched. He kicked the slimy Eye away with a boot and sent flying towards Mard, who caught it in the palm of his hand.

"Ladies, please," Mard said charmingly, and he placed the Eye on Belno's hands. "My fate… is in your lovely hands."

"Oh, my…" Belno giggled blushingly.

"Oh, alright," Ooba groaned in irritation, snatching the Eye from Belno. She turned to Mard with a stern look, "But just so we're clear, this is the _only_ time we ever get to help you!"

With that, the All-Seeing Eye lifted from Ooba's hand and floated above it. A golden light emitted from the Eye, and the Fates circled around it to commence their narration of the requested prophecy.

Ooba fluttered her hands towards the Eye, which presented a spiraling, blurry image. She began, "Before we give the details of your requested prophecy, let's go back to a story long before Natsu was born, long before the Olympians rose to power, many eons ago..." The image of the All-Seeing Eye shifted to present a woman cuddling a baby at the top of a cliff. "You know of the Etherious, the very first rulers of the mortal world, and its mighty king, Acnologia."

Mard recognized, "That's the name of our father…"

Ooba continued, "So fearful was Acnologia of the prophecy's prediction that his own children would rise against him, that he decided to imprison them all in his belly. His queen, Tenrou, stood by and watched as her children were devoured one by one. But when the time came for the last of her children to be eaten, she was unable to bare another such loss. And thus, Tenrou devised a trick to save the baby Igneel."

In the image, an eagle appeared from the skies and retrieved the baby nestled in a white cloth. Belno added, "Tenrou commanded the eagle to secret her son away. He was taken to a remote island far beyond the watchful eyes of Acnologia."

The image then shifted to an invisible image of Igneel. Hilda said, "When Igneel came of age, he learned of his true heritage, and his desire to rescue his brothers and sisters from Acnologia was nurtured. The rescue mission was a success, and together with his siblings, Igneel led a war against the rule of the Etherious."

"The Etheriomachy…" Mard remembered. "The war between the Olympians and the Etherious, otherwise known as the Great War. But what does that have to do with my prophecy?"

"Let us finish. It only gets better," Ooba suggested. "The Etheriomachy, the historical battle between gods and titans, forged the very landscape of the mortal world. The battle was long, but Igneel and his siblings emerged victorious in the end. Acnologia was destroyed, and his Etherious brethren were banished to the pits of Tartaros."

Hilda chuckled at Mard, "That funny, because your last name was named after the deepest dungeon in the Underworld!"

Mard groaned, "Please don't bring that up…"

Belno added, "Some Etherious, however, still remained after the war. They're called the Eight Demon Gates, arguably the most powerful and cruel of all Etherious."

Hilda nodded, "Far more ruthless than Acnologia was."

Ooba explained, "The Demon Gates went on a rampage across the mortal world, creating chaos and natural disasters in their wake. The strife took place before the reign of Mount Olympus was established. In a bold and heroic act, Igneel emerged from the heavens and hurled his mighty fire breath to imprison the Demon Gates into the depths of the ocean, where they would remain for the rest of time undisturbed. However, the Demon Gates swore that once they were free, they would exact their vengeance on Olympus and the world."

"Which brings us to your prophecy," Belno spoke, and she flicked her hands against the All-Seeing Eye. The image then transformed into that of a stream of stars that were yet to be aligned. " _In seventeen years precisely, the planets will align ever so nicely._ "

"The planets align?" Mard was not amused. "How cute."

The image shifted to the Demon Gates' prison, and the Etherious in question climbing up Mount Olympus. Hilda announced, " _The time to act will be at hand! Unleash the Demon Gates, your Etherious band._ "

"Mm-hmm, good, good," Mard confirmed with a nod. He liked it so far.

Then the All-Seeing Eye presented an image of Igneel falling into a dark abyss. Belno added, " _Then the once proud Igneel will finally fall._ " Then, an image of Mard Geer standing victoriously over the mortal world was shown. " _And you, Mard Geer Tartaros, will rule all!_ "

" **YES!** " Mard Geer screamed excitedly, the dark aura in his body pulsing with his joy. " **MARD GEER RULES!** "

But his happiness was cut short when Ooba spoke, " _A word of caution to this tale._ "

"Excuse me?" Mard was confused.

" _Should Natsu Dragneel fight… you will fail!_ " The All-Seeing Eye projected an image of a future version of Natsu with Happy flying him with his wings, raising a burning fist against his terrified uncle. In the end, the Fates laughed madly, transformed into wisps of light, assimilated with the All-Seeing Eye, and the eye vanished into thin air along with them.

The Lord of the Dead was extremely shocked. According to the prophecy, he was destined to not only release the Demon Gates and overthrow Olympus, but to fail at the hands of Igneel's son. His shock was more than enough to send him flying in a rage. The aura surrounding his body exploded, his lair vibrating with his frustration.

" **WHAAAAAAATTTT?!** " he roared furiously, before he managed to cool down. "Okay, fine, fine, I'm cool, I'm fine…" He knew that Natsu would someday be the key to his downfall. Then again, there was still ample time to plot his nephew's early demise. "Yes, that's right… I know how to deal with him. I always come prepared." He turned to his minions, "Boys!"

* * *

Kain and Rustyrose followed Mard to the entrance of a chamber, where the door opened and revealed an altar that housed a shelf of the most dangerous of curses. If Mard needed something to help him dispose of his enemies, he could find whatever he needed in there.

"Hey, boss, what's in there?" Kain asked.

"The Underworld's biggest library of dark curses and dangerous aliments, the Altar of Suffering," Mard answered with a sinister smile. "Which brings me to this very important question: how do you kill a god?"

"Kill a god?" Kain scratched his head, trying to think. "Wow, that's a tough question."

Rustyrose crossed his arms with a frown, "Gods cannot be killed. They're immortal."

"Bingo! They're immortal," Mard nodded. "To kill an immortal, you must make them mortal. And I know just the thing." From a nearby cupboard, he found what he was looking for: a small vial of pink liquid.

"What are we supposed to do with that pink juice?" Kain asked.

Mard replied, "That _pink juice_ eliminates godhood and transforms a god into a mortal. Here's what you're going to do. First, you must turn Igneel's little boy mortal…" He shook the vial, and the bubbles floating in it were filled with images of little skulls. "…and when the time is right, you will kill him."

"Yes, sir!" Kain saluted. "Right away, sir!"

"We will not fail you, my lord," Rustyrose bowed, and he and his partner headed off to perform the task at hand.

"Oh, and boys?" Mard asked calmly, and his minions stopped to look at him. "The job better be done right…" He then exploded into energy, " **OR ELSE!** "

Panicking, Kain and Rustyrose raced out of the chamber. For their sake, they'd better not mess this job up.


	4. Natsu Turns Mortal

The last bits of Atlas Flame's light were chased away by the rising of the moon, the chariots of the God of Night riding off as a starry blanket embraced the skies, and the atmosphere turned dim. Mount Olympus had become a mountain that sleeps; a tired heavenly home with an early bedtime. The gods and goddesses, their duties fulfilled for the day, ceased their activity and began to rest, with some staying up late to maintain the day-to-day affairs of the mortal world. Even down below, the mortals were tucked away in their beds. Indeed, everyone was resting up for a bright new day.

In the cloudy residence of the King and Queen of Olympus, the baby Natsu and his Exceed friend Happy slept together on the same crib, their minds far away in a dreamy slumber. Even their parents, Igneel and Cassandra, were content in their sleep.

Unfortunately, someone lurking in the shadows was not asleep. Two sinister shadows crept closer to Natsu and Happy's crib and extended their menacing hands, awaiting their chance to capture and rob their destined target.

During the struggle, the twittering of voices and the sound of breaking glass caused Igneel and Cassandra to wake from their sleep.

Igneel yawned, his eyes blinking sleepily, "Huh?"

Cassandra mumbled, "Wha… What is it?"

The two began wondering where the noises came from… until their eyes widened in horror. "The baby!"

They ran into the baby's room to witness a horrifying sight; the crib had been knocked over, and Happy's head was stuck in a cornucopia. When he freed himself from the object, the Exceed looked up and saw, to his horror, that the rest of the crib was empty. Igneel and Cassandra couldn't believe their eyes. Their newborn son was gone!

"Natsu!" Cassandra's body trembled from the tragedy as she fell down on her knees and grasped her face, sobbing bitterly.

Igneel furiously narrowed his eyes. Someone had broken in and kidnapped his son! His body shaking with rage, the Fire God spread his arms and roared upward, the sky thundering with his anguish. A gigantic storm of fire swept over Mount Olympus as the clouds transformed into flame. Small explosions of fire erupted like thunder, and the flames drifted throughout the sky, flashing its radiant light like lightning.

The kidnappers Kain Hikaru and Rustyrose escaped from Mount Olympus on wings attached to their feet, with Kain holding Natsu with his arms. It was made possible through Rustyrose's Arc of Embodiment, which allows the user to materialize anything from his/her imagination to be used at his/her whim. Kain and Rustyrose were heading down to Earth, whilst dodging the torrents of endless flame that filled the sky. They discovered that Igneel found out of his son's kidnapping, and if he knew that Mard Geer was behind it all, his anger was nothing compared to Igneel's.

"Now we've done it!" Rustyrose exclaimed, dodging streams of fire raining from below. "We've incurred the wrath of the Fire God!"

Kain whimpered, "You're tellin' me! Ig's usin' us for target practice! If he finds out that we're workin' for the boss, we're as good as fry!"

"Well, why do you think we're coming to Earth?!" Rustyrose snapped at Kain. "Just hang onto the baby!"

As soon as they approached a nearby mountainside, Kain and Rustyrose's wings were suddenly burned into crisps by one of Igneel's flames. The two fell and collapsed on a mountain path, and dropped the baby boy to the ground nearby. Natsu bawled his eyes out from the sudden exodus from Mount Olympus, and Kain and Rustyrose slowly recovered.

"Now that we got the baby out of the mountain, let's get this over with," Rustyrose said. "And we'll make it fast! We won't know how long before the gods find us! Kain, get the vial!"

The overweight white-skinned man didn't need another invite as he took out the vial that Mard Geer gave them, and he wrapped a cap on the top to make it look like a baby bottle. Kain snorted, "Here ya go, kid. It's your favorite; a little Earth-land formula!" He stuffed the bottle into Natsu's mouth with a mad cackle.

The baby was confused at first, but when he found out that the flavor of the potion was as tasty as milk, Natsu reveled in the taste and drank the bottle happily. He was blissfully unaware that the glowing aura wrapped around his body— the essence representing his godhood— was gradually disappearing.

"Hey, look at that! His light's goin' out like a firefly!" Kain pointed out.

"I notice that, too," Rustyrose nodded. "He's turning mortal."

"Can we kill him now?" Kain asked eagerly, taking out a small voodoo doll from his pocket. "Mr. Cursey's itchin' for a good killin'!"

Rustyrose shook his head, "No, no, no! He has to drink the whole potion! Every last drop!"

"Who's there?"

The cry of an elderly voice caused Kain and Rustyrose to yelp in alarm. It didn't belong to Igneel or any of the gods, but it was enough to blow their cover. They were forced to hide away, leaving Natsu to cry alone, his godly essence completely gone. The vial fell and shattered into pieces, the last drop falling off the broken glass and evaporating onto the ground below.

The voice belonged to an elderly man carrying a torch, accompanied by his wife, having heard Natsu's cries. He was an extremely short 88-year old man with the outer rims of his bald head containing white hair, black eyes, and a thin white mustache. He wore a white long-sleeved polo shirt with a red vest over it, black pants, and a high collared cape. His name was Makarov Dreyar.

The female accompanying Makarov was a slim and tall elderly woman with pink hair tied in a bun on the back of her head, reddish eyes, and a beauty mark located below her mouth on the left side of her face. Her attire consisted of a dark green blouse with a tie around the collar, a long matching skirt, simple shoes, and a crimson-colored cape. Her name was Porlyusica Dreyar, Makarov's wife.

"Porlyusica, over here!" Makarov called, having spotted Natsu crying on the ground.

"Oh, you poor thing!" Porlyusica gasped and saw the abandoned ex-god baby. She picked him up and eased his cries with words of comfort, "Oh, there, there. Don't cry."

"Is anyone there?" Makarov looked around to see if the baby's parents were around here somewhere.

Unknown to the couple, Kain and Rustyrose observed the scene from behind a stalagmite. Noticing that Natsu lost his godliness, their opportunity to get the job done was at hand.

"Now?" Kain asked impatiently.

"Now," Rustyrose smirked evilly. " **Arc of Embodiment: Metamorphosis!** " Summoning a ring of magic around himself and Kain, their bodies glowed and changed shape, turning them into huge snakes. The two minions slithered towards Natsu, Makarov, and Porlyusica, preparing to strike them all down with their venomous fangs.

Receiving no response, Makarov sighed, "Oh, well. There's no one else around. He must've been abandoned."

"It could be a sign," Porlyusica wondered, before she took Makarov's arm and beamed with happiness. "Makarov, for so many years, we've prayed to the gods to bless us with a child. Perhaps they've answered their prayers." She looked at Natsu, who had managed to calm down and stop crying.

"Perhaps they have," Makarov assumed, noticing the scaled scarf around Natsu's neck. He examined the symbol of the gods at the front of the scarf, and turned it over to see a name engraved at the back. "Natsu…"

Suddenly, Makarov and Porlyusica heard hisses. The two turned and gasped in horror as the transformed Kain and Rustyrose flashed their fangs against them and Natsu. Just then, as if by instinct, Natsu jumped in with his hands and feet pulsating with fire! Giggling, he flexed his body, arms, and legs continuously, knocking Kain and Rustyrose multiple times and scorching their skins with flames. Next, Natsu sneezed, breathing a huge stream of fire that fried their snake bodies into soot. Then, he grabbed Kain and Rustyrose's necks, bashed them several times against the ground, and tied them in a knot. Finally, Natsu whirled them around a few times and released them, sending them flying and screaming into the air.

Makarov and Porlyusica simply stared with their mouths agape, amazed by Natsu's incredible feat. Natsu simply giggled.

Meanwhile, Kain and Rustyrose, their bodies tied up together, smashed their heads onto a rock and landed on the ground, scorched, injured, and beaten. Rustyrose groaned, " **Metamorphosis Cancel…** " In a flash, he and Kain reverted back to their normal forms.

"This baby ain't like nothin' we've ever seen," Kain wheezed from his injuries. "He's strong and smart."

"Even though he is mortal, he still has powers!" Rustyrose stated, stretching his bones. "He can manipulate fire! I can't believe it!"

"Aw, man!" Kain dreaded, fearing for the worst. "The boss is gonna kill us when he finds out what happened!"

"Actually, no," Rustyrose shook his head. "He'll give us a horrible punishment to make us WISH we're dead. Oh, and you mean _if_ he finds out."

"Well, duh! Of course he's gonna find—" Kain began, before realizing that Rustyrose had a point. "If… If is good."

Rustyrose nodded in agreement. Still, it doesn't change the fact that they failed to exterminate Natsu, and Mard Geer would soon find out. Boy, was he going to get really ticked…

* * *

We now return to the gallery, where the Muses resumed their roles as narrators of the story. Ultear began, "It was tragic. Igneel was saddened by the disappearance of his son. He called upon his fellow gods and led them on a frantic search."

"But by the time they found the baby, it was too late…" Meredy looked down sadly, sitting with her fellow Muses on top of a vase. Éclair began to sing with the rest of the Muses humming along.

Éclair: **_Young Nat was mortal now_**  
 ** _But since he did not drink the last drop_**

The vase the Muses sat on depicted Natsu beating up Kain and Rustyrose in their snake forms.

 ** _He still retained his godlike strength  
So thank his lucky star_**

Brandish agreed, "Tell it, girl."

 ** _But Ig and Cassie wept  
Because their son could never come home_**

The Muses then stood by a vase depicting Igneel, Cassandra, and Happy sadly watching over Natsu from Mount Olympus at the top. At the bottom, the baby Natsu held up Makarov and Porlyusica's home with his bare hands, much to their complete amazement. Even at a young age, their adoptive son was indeed strong.

 ** _They'd have to watch their precious baby  
Grow up from afar_**

Another vase described Mard Geer in the Underworld laughing wickedly at the bottom. At the top of the vase, it depicted Makarov and Porlyusica lifting up Natsu happily.

 ** _Though Mard Geer's horrid plan  
Was hatched before Nat cut his first tooth,  
The boy grew stronger every day  
And that's the gospel truth_**

Muses: **_The gospel truth…_**

Many years passed, and Natsu had integrated into his new home in the mortal world. However, with all the powers he possessed, he was unaware of who he really was and where he came from. It was on that day when a certain accident— and a fateful discovery— would change everything.


	5. Natsu the Outcast

It was just another normal day in the town of Magnolia. The houses and stores ran rich with the scents of food, the sound of water, and the softness of the wind. The fields regularly flowed with golden waves of grain and lush green tides of vineyards, with every crop in between. And because today's climate was springtime, the town was permeated with the rich earthy scent of blossom. Agriculture formed another backbone of the town's economy, and the workers took great pride in their accomplishments.

Just then, the rumbling of wheels and a massive trail of flames that scorched the dirt path broke the usual silence as a cart outfitted with a large stack of items sped down the road leading to town like a blazing comet. Makarov Dreyar held on for dear life alongside his horse, Penelope. Normally, Penelope would be the one pulling the cart, but her leg suffered a sprain, so someone else volunteered to move the cart: Makarov's adoptive boy, Natsu Dragneel, who was now ten years old, and his magic, strength, and speed had grown stronger by the day. His attire consisted of a red long-sleeved sweater and yellow shorts, and he still wore the scale-patterned scarf he received from his father, Igneel.

"N-N-N-Natsu!" Makarov cried, grasping onto the cart's edges. "Slow down!"

"Why should I, Gramps?" Natsu asked his adoptive father with a cheerful smile. "It was your idea! You wanted me to be the horse! And a horse does whatever he wants! So I like it fast!"

Makarov muttered to himself, "Kids just don't listen to their parents like they used to. And I'm a dad, not a grandpa." He then paused, "Then again, that's what Natsu affectionately called me."

"Faster, Natsu!" the voice of a boy cried. "Faster! You run like a donkey!" The voice belonged to a slim, straight dark-haired 6-year old boy standing on top of the stack of items. He wore a dark green T-shirt with a nakajima symbol adorned at the front, light brown shorts with two large pockets, and simple sandals. His name was Romeo Conbolt, Natsu's best friend on Earth. Unlike Makarov, who was startled by Natsu's reckless driving, Romeo was screaming for joy as he was having the time of his life.

Standing alongside Romeo was a 5-year old girl with short dark blue hair, and she wore a white shirt with a red collar, red shorts, and light shoes. Her name was Wendy Marvell, one of Natsu's friends, and of course, his adoptive sister. Much like Natsu's discovery in the mountains, Makarov and Porlyusica discovered Wendy abandoned in the forest during a trip to Hargeon five years ago. The Dreyar family was kind enough to take her in, so that Natsu could have a sister he never had. Like Romeo, Wendy was enjoying Natsu's wild and crazy ride to Magnolia.

"YEE-HAW!" Romeo whooped. "Ride 'em, cowboy! Giddyap, horsey!"

"Wheeeeeeeeee! This is fun!" Wendy cried happily. "Just like the roller coaster ride!"

"Hey, guys!" Natsu called to Wendy and Romeo from below. "How'd ya like to go overdrive?"

"Overdrive?" Makarov gasped. "I don't like the sound of that…"

"Well…" Wendy began.

"Sometime, yeah," Romeo smiled.

"How about now?" Natsu shouted, and his body transformed into a living ball of flame, dragging the cart with him, and increasing his speed ten-fold. With a mighty blaze, the cart approached the town's entrance in less than ten seconds. Wendy and Romeo screamed with more joy than ever, while Makarov and Penelope screamed in alarm.

Romeo laughed, "Wow! Totally fast! I wish I could go that fast!"

"Me too!" Wendy agreed. "If I practice a bit more, I can use my Sky Magic to—"

" **LOOK OUT!** " Makarov yelled, pointing towards a group of construction workers at the gate. The group consisted of Bacchus Groh, Rocker, Warcry, Jager, Nobarly, and Semmes.

"WHOA!" Wendy and Romeo cried, and they jumped from the stack of items and landed safely on the seat, moments before the stack collided with the gate and knocked Bacchus and his friends off balance.

When Natsu turned around, he noticed that he went _too_ fast; he nearly shoved the construction workers off the gate. He said sheepishly, "Oops! Sorry, guys!"

"Hey, what where you're goin'!" Bacchus angrily shook his fist while hanging on the edge of the gate.

"Sunday driver!" Rocker yelled.

"That's not wild!" Warcry shouted.

The cart arrived at the town square, and Natsu skidded to a halt, bringing the vehicle to a complete stop. In the process, Natsu's feet created enough force to break the earth open and bury himself shoulder-deep in the ground.

Romeo disembarked from the cart and smiled, "Oh, yeah! No speed limits in this road! We oughta let Natsu do the driving for a living."

Placing his hands on his hips and holding his chest straight, Natsu said proudly, "Not bad, huh, Romeo?"

Wendy got off the cart as well. She said, "Gee, I wish I could go as fast as you, Natsu."

"Trust me, Wendy," Natsu grinned, brushing Wendy's hair. "Maybe someday, your Sky Magic can get you fast just like your big bro. A little more practice, and you've done something amazing."

"Thanks," Wendy smiled back.

"Whoa…" Makarov shuddered, recovering from the invigorating experience. He climbed down the cart and said, "That was some crazy but crafty driving, son. And it's a great idea to bring Wendy and Romeo with us today."

Wendy blushed, "Oh, it was nothing, Daddy."

Romeo nodded, wrapping his arm around Natsu's shoulder, "All in a day's work, Mr. Dreyar. You know I can't miss out my best friend."

Natsu agreed, "You said it."

Makarov stated, lifting Penelope's sprained leg, "When old Penelope twisted her ankle back there, I thought we were done for. We'd never get this stuff over to Magnolia."

"No problem, Gramps," Natsu said, lifting the huge bundle of items in one hand. He looked around expectantly, waiting to be told where to put the stuff. "I'll help you out."

"No, no, no," Makarov shook his head. "Don't unload just yet. First I have to finagle with Bob."

"Okay," Natsu confirmed.

" _Finagle?_ What's _finagle?_ " Wendy asked Romeo, having no idea what the word meant. "I think it means to dance or eat with bugs." She added with a shrug, "Ewww."

"I dunno. Never heard that word before," Romeo shrugged.

Complying Makarov's request, Natsu dropped the stack of items back into the cart, creating enough force to send Penelope flying into the sky with a whinny.

"Wow!" Wendy exclaimed. "Flying horses!"

"Oops! Sorry, Penelope," Natsu apologized. So strong was his magic and strength that it often led to collateral damage, which is why most people tend to avoid him as possible.

"Throw me, throw me!" Wendy cried happily. "I wanna fly, too!"

"Sorry, Wendy," Natsu refused. "You might get hurt."

Wendy pouted, "It's not fair. I never get to do anything."

"You can't fly yet. Not until you're older," Natsu suggested. "Next time, I promise."

Wendy sighed in defeat, "Okay..."

"Look, son, I know you're very eager to help with all the work," Makarov said to Natsu. "But this time, just…"

"I know, I know," Natsu groaned, and he caught the falling Penelope in his arms. "Stay by the cart."

"That's my boy," Makarov chuckled, and he ruffled Natsu's hair, before heading off to business matters.

For ten years, Natsu had proven himself a strong and fair child, but his Fire Magic was uncontrollable at times that it caused a fair share of disasters, even though he never meant any harm at all. He was treated an outcast as a result of his freakish powers. So far, the only people to ever talk to him were his parents, Wendy, and Romeo.

Natsu spouted, "It's not fair. I never get to do anything."

Wendy stated, "That's exactly what I said."

Romeo said, "You know, it stinks to just sit around and do nothing, but that way, you won't cause any trouble."

"Oh, please. I'm sick of playing safe," Natsu moaned. "I just wanna do something useful with my life, just for once."

"So, working in your dad's merchant business wasn't useful?" Romeo raised an eyebrow.

Natsu shrugged, "I didn't say that."

Romeo stated, "My dad told me that the Dreyars have been selling lots of neat stuff all over Fiore for five generations."

"I know that," Natsu nodded. "But it's not enough for me." He gestured to his bare hands, "I know I had these powers when I was born, and I don't know why. But I felt that…" He paused to let it sink in, "I felt that I had these powers for a purpose." His face beamed with ecstasy, "I want to do something, make a difference. I want to change things."

"I know you will," Romeo chuckled. "Maybe someday, when the time's right, you _can_ make a difference. If your dad can sell things, you can do something even better. That way, they'll look up to you."

Wendy added, "Can you imagine it, Natsu? My big brother, helping lots of people with his amazing Fire Magic."

"But for now, you gotta take it easy with your Fire Magic," Romeo suggested. "Just give those people a breather to understand your super-duper special talents."

"Sure thing, guys," Natsu grinned. "I'll give them a little time, and I'll show them I'm not bad as they say I am."

Wendy agreed, "The people here are nice. Things will be fine."

The three paused to hear a yelp and turned to the one making the noise. They saw a small man attempting to carry a large clay pot outside. He had short purple hair with two large strands shaped like an antenna, a purple curvy mustache, a tiny rectangular nose, and a small mouth. He wore a red orange tuxedo with a blue bowtie. His name was Rabian, the owner of Magnolia's clay pot shop.

"Oh, my goodness. Gentle, gentle, gentle…" Rabian muttered. "Too expensive..."

"Looks like he needs a little help," Natsu pointed out.

"This could be it," Romeo hoped. "Maybe you can do something to help without causing any trouble!"

"Yeah! Hopefully, there's no accident involved!" Wendy beamed.

"Come on!" Natsu said, and he entered the clay pot shop, followed by Wendy and Romeo.

The large clay pot suddenly slipped from Rabian's grip, but Natsu caught it just in time and helped the shop owner balance it. "Careful."

"Oh, thank you very much…" Rabian sighed in relief. He was unaware that he was talking to Natsu, until his face emerged from behind the pot.

"No problem," Natsu grinned.

"Why, Natsu!" Rabian yelped. "W-W-W-What a pleasant surprise."

"Hi, Mr. Rabian," Wendy waved.

"Hey there, Mr. Rabian," Romeo greeted.

"Oh, and Wendy and Romeo," Rabian laughed nervously.

"Here, we'll help you with that," Natsu offered, grasping the large clay pot.

"No, no, no, no, no!" Rabian cried in alarm. Like others, he witnessed the chaos his powers wrought, and he would rather not associate himself with a reckless, destructive youth. Even worse, Natsu's friends were associates of his careless destruction. "I'm fine. I can take care of myself. You just run along, kids. I'll be okay. Thank you so very much."

"Are you sure?" Natsu was confused. He just wanted to help.

"Oh, yes," Rabian sweated. "Absolutely."

 **And so…**

The three kids were left outside the shop. It would appear that Rabian rejected their help, even though it sounded like he needed it.

Romeo frowned, crossing his arms at Rabian's refusal, "Wow, some people are just plain stubborn."

Wendy asked, "How could he be so rude to us?"

"Can you blame us?" Romeo replied. "We're not exactly the most popular kids in town, and Natsu's a ticking time bomb." He turned to the salmon-haired kid, "No offense."

"None taken," Natsu said. "Maybe it's best to stay by the cart so we won't cause any—"

Just then, a frisbee fell at Natsu's feet. A voice yelled out, "Yo! Give it here!"

Natsu picked up the frisbee and looked up to see four young boys named Erik, Sawyer, Macbeth, and Richard Buchanan approaching where the object fell. They were in stunned silence upon seeing the one who held the frisbee.

"Hey, guys! Hey, Erik!" Natsu shouted happily, holding up the frisbee. "You need an extra player? My friends and I can join!"

"Yeah, come on!" Romeo agreed. "Me, Natsu, and Wendy, we'll be one team! We'll take on your team! So how about it?"

Wendy asked eagerly, "Is it okay if we join your game? I'll do my best. I can throw the frisbee, if that's alright with you."

The boys also knew of Natsu's inability to control his powers, and it won't be pretty if they were to let him play with them, especially Wendy and Romeo, since they associated with Natsu's accidents and crazy antics. There's no telling what could happen if Natsu's group were to play with the four boys.

As Sawyer, Macbeth, and Richard tried to think of a way to reject Natsu without hurting his feelings, their leader, Erik, spoke up, "Uh… sorry, Nat. We've already got enough players."

Macbeth added, "Besides, only five can play, and we want to keep it an even number."

"Wait a second," Natsu crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow. "Five isn't an even—"

"See ya, Nat!" Erik swiftly grabbed the frisbee from Natsu's hand, and he and his friends departed with a mean laugh, much to Natsu and the others' confusion.

"What a geek!" Sawyer commented. "He's an absolute lunatic."

"He's a destructo-boy." Richard added. " _Oh yeah!_ "

"And his two little stooges are a bunch of crybabies," Erik stated. "Maybe we should call him Natsu _Jerkneel._ "

"Yeah!" the rest of Erik's group laughed in agreement.

"Geez," Romeo groaned. "They're a bunch of jerks."

Wendy stated, "They're so afraid of Natsu's Fire Magic. They had to stay away from him. They think that Natsu's powers are dangerous." She then shook her head, "But I don't believe that. I know my big brother. His Fire Magic is very special and unique. You and I had a lot of fun things together with him."

Romeo crossed his arms, "But most people don't get just how special Natsu or his powers are yet. Yeah, people often get scared or angry of what they don't understand."

Wendy giggled, "That's silly. Natsu would never do such a bad thing to anyone."

Romeo nodded, "I believe you, Wendy."

The two turned to see Natsu sitting down at the edge of a fountain, hanging his head down with a sad sigh. Romeo went over to his salmon-haired friend and said, "Come on, Natsu. Don't let it get to you."

Wendy suggested, "They didn't mean those things. You still have us. We can play our own game."

"Thanks, guys… but you two were the only friends I've got," Natsu admitted. He appreciated that Wendy and Romeo wanted to help, but at this point, nothing could cheer him up. "How come I don't get any new ones?"

" **HEADS UP!** " Natsu lifted his head to see the frisbee whizzing by. With a cheerful smile, the salmon-haired kid jumped up to catch it, hoping to earn the respect of Erik and his group.

"I got it!" Natsu caught the frisbee with his hand.

"No, stop!" Erik protested.

Unfortunately, Natsu ignored Erik's warning as the frisbee in his hand flung him a few miles away from the square and crashed him against the wall of a towering house with tremendous force, and he collapsed onto the ground.

"Natsu!" Romeo and Wendy rushed to Natsu's aid. "Are you okay?"

As he realized where he was, Natsu looked up to see the house beginning to crumble. "Uh-oh…" Desperate to fix the house, he quickly stood up and covered the cracks affecting the house with his arms. "Come on, you stupid piece of rock! Don't crack!" But the cracks kept on growing and growing.

" **Stupid house!** " Natsu screamed in frustration, the fire in his body suddenly erupting. He threw a burning fist and smashed it through the wall, intensifying the cracks. The salmon-haired boy then realized that he made it even worse. "Oops."

"Um, Natsu?" Wendy asked nervously. "Did you just break the Hyper Gasoline Super Store?"

"Hyper Gaso-what?" Natsu was confused by Wendy's question. But the answer came in the form of mounds of gasoline spilling from the house's cracks. The gasoline kept on spilling. And it was attracted to Natsu's flames surrounding his fist. His face was contorted with stunned silence and extreme shock. He replied with a soft squeak, " _Mommy…_ "

 **KA-BOOOOOOOOOM!** The heads of all the people of Magnolia, including Makarov's, immediately jerked to the direction of that sound, looking towards a red explosion erupting from where the Hyper Gasoline Super Store stood. Suddenly, the rising flames that were mostly obscured by the exploding gasoline were sucked down to the ground, as if pulled by a gravitational force.

"Uh, that big a problem?" a citizen named Bora guessed, standing next to Makarov.

"Oh, no…" Makarov's eyes widened with horror. He knew exactly what that meant.

When the flames disappeared, the rubble was all that's left of the entire Hyper Gasoline Super Store. Wendy and Romeo stood there in silence, looking at Natsu, who clutched his chest in pain.

"Ugh… My belly…" Natsu groaned, feeling his stomach rumbling. "I've got a fire in my belly… It's coming out… I think I'm gonna explode…"

Wendy and Romeo gulped, "Uh-oh."

"I'm gonna… I'm gonna…" Natsu wheezed, his face turning red. "I'm… I'm… Ah… Ah… Aaaahh…"

Then it happened!

" **HE'S GONNA BLOW!** " Wendy screamed.

" **RUN FOR THE HILLS!** " Romeo yelled.

Due to the tremendous amounts of gasoline he consumed, Natsu sneezed from his mouth and nostrils a gigantic, rampaging breath of fire that devastated everything in its path. Hundreds of homes, reduced to ashes, Stores, burned to cinders. Thousands of people, screaming and running away from the inferno. And fire, fire everywhere. Every time Natsu moved his head, the enormous fire breath moved in separate directions, bringing destruction whenever it pleased. The rampage did not stop until the flames had subsided.

"Natsu! Wendy! Romeo!" Makarov screamed, frantically looking around. "Where are you?"

"Hang on, Mr. Dreyar!" Romeo cried, hugging a terrified Wendy in his arms. "We'll be right there!" Somehow, they had to help Natsu stop his uncontrollable flames.

With every building in Magnolia charred and burned, the last building remaining was Rabian's clay pot shop. Rabian was stepping outside, holding loads of clay pots in his arms. And to his horror, Natsu's mega fire breath was heading towards him!

"Oh, my!" Rabian shivered. He braced himself for his inevitable doom as the mega fire breath inched closer, destroying more than half of his shop. "Oh, no! Don't! Oh, no, no, no, no! No, no, no, no, no…"

But to his surprise, the mega fire breath had disappeared. Rabian looked around for any trace of the inferno that destroyed his shop, but found none. Relief rose in Rabian's stomach than he had ever felt before. "Thank you very much…"

" **WATCH OUT!** "

Rabian was stunned to see Wendy and Romeo screaming, slipping on a watery substance and sliding right towards him. "Oh, dear…" he whimpered.

The collision resulted in the clay pot shop exploding into rubble, the bundle of clay pots Rabian carried falling and breaking into pieces. The last of Magnolia's buildings had fallen.

The bliss of the once-peaceful town had been shattered, and it suffered the worst collateral damage ever caused. The streets stood gutted and bleak. Plant life was burned away. Houses were reduced to piles of rubble and ash.

Makarov sprinted to the town square— what remained of it— where a large crowd was gathering and surrounding Natsu. Groaning and slightly recovering from his flaming fiasco, the salmon-haired boy wiped his nose with the frisbee still in his hand.

Erik, with an annoyed expression on his face, snatched the frisbee from Natsu. He scowled, "Nice catch, Natsu Jerkneel." He then walked off with his friends, never to speak to the destructive boy again.

"Son!" The sea of people parted, forming a large space for Makarov to run through. He enveloped his adoptive son in a crushing embrace, relieved that he was safe. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Gramps," Natsu reciprocated the hug.

"Where's Wendy and Romeo?" Makarov asked.

"Right here!" Romeo arrived with Wendy, who ran into Makarov and hugged his body with a sob.

"Daddy!" Wendy sniffled. She needed the comfort of her adoptive father to relieve her fear of that scary disaster.

"I'm so worried about you both," Makarov whispered softly, hugging both Natsu and Wendy with affection in his eyes.

Abruptly, a distorted voice interrupted the family's blissful reunion. Rabian, his clothing charred and ripped apart, emerged from the wreckage with a clay pot stuck on his head, his voice muffling inside. "This… is the last…" He managed to remove the clay pot, revealing his face sporting a furious look. " **STRAW, DREYAR!** " He then threw the pot, smashing it in frustration.

An instant later, the crowd gave hateful comments towards Natsu. Karen Lilica accused, "Ever since that boy came here, he was nothing but trouble! He's a menace!"

"He's too dangerous to be around _normal_ people!" Bora shouted in agreement.

"It wasn't his fault. He didn't mean any harm," Makarov tried to reason with the angry crowd. "He's only ten years old. He just can't control his flames."

"Yeah!" Wendy shouted in agreement. Her eyes were still watered, but her face had more outrage than sorrow. "Natsu is our friend, and we love him! He's done a lot of good things for us, you big bullies. So you can't assume anything!"

"Everybody has problems!" Romeo added angrily. "It's not like you people can do better!" He yelped when a few faces in the crowd threw rocks at him and Wendy. "Hey!"

"Stop that!" Makarov protested, defending the children from the rocks. "They're just kids! What did they ever do to you?!"

"If you're defending that monster, then we don't want you, your blue-haired sissy girl, or your black-haired brat either!" Macbeth stated.

Sawyer added, "You three are as worse as Nat!"

"We're warning you… All of you…" Rabian growled, his body trembling with rage as he pointed a finger at the saddened Natsu. "You keep that… that… that… **FREAK** … away from here!"

"Yeah! Freak! Go away!" the rest of the crowd shouted in agreement as they stormed off, leaving Natsu, Wendy, Romeo, and Makarov alone. The old man tried his best to cheer up Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo, but it was too late for comfort; Natsu was hurt emotionally by the anger and scorn of the whole of Magnolia, Wendy's tears kept on flowing from her cheeks, and Romeo just stood there, visibly upset.

They weren't welcome anymore.


	6. Go the Distance

A bright red sunset hung over the Dreyar household, a simple cottage situated near the cliff overlooking the ocean. The sweet perfume of fried food flowed from the open windows as Porlyusica finished her cooking duties, carrying hot steaming plates. Today's dinner was comprised of delicious fried chicken wings topped with tomato sauce, and its mouth-watering goodness were a warm welcome for Makarov, Romeo, and Wendy after the events that transpired the past morning. In a large table fit for at least five or six, Porlyusica served the plates to each of the three, then herself. But in the gathering of those present in the dinner table, only one was missing. After dinner was completed, and the dishes were washed and stored away, Makarov, Porlyusica, Romeo, and Wendy sat together in the living room to discuss that chaotic incident.

A displeased Makarov nested his shoulder at the edge of the sofa, and his head never left his knuckles. Natsu accidentally spewed fire that wrecked the whole town of Magnolia, and worse, he and his adoptive family were met by the scorn and contempt of thousands. But since Makarov brought Natsu along in the first place, most of the blame was passed along to him. He was accused for raising a super-powered boy with destructive magic.

Despite the setback, however, Makarov, Natsu, and Wendy returned home to the relief and gladness of Porlyusica, who shared their grief and concern about the horrible accident. For now, at least, the comfort of their home was the best way to recover from the turmoil. Earlier, Romeo travelled from his home in the nearby village to pay a friendly visit with the Dreyars, having decided to help their plight.

"We're so glad to have you visit us, Romeo," Porlyusica smiled. "I hope you enjoyed our old family recipe; Yury's Chicken Wings, named after Makarov's father. Yury invented the finest sauce anyone has ever seen."

"Thanks, Mrs. Dreyar," Romeo replied, drinking a glass of water in his hands. "It's been a rough day, hasn't it?"

"Regrettably, yes," Porlyusica nodded with a sad sigh. "Makarov told me about the accident in Magnolia. Natsu's magic spiraled out of control and laid waste to the whole town. They shunned him, drove him away, and called him a freak."

Romeo pointed out, "Don't forget Wendy and me. We're with Natsu when we tried to stop him from causing any trouble. But they think we're his sidekicks, who wanted to cause trouble with him." He added with a sigh, "My mom found out and sent me home. She didn't want me to talk to Natsu or any in your family ever again."

Porlyusica asked, "Your mother knew about this?"

Romeo nodded, "My mom was there. She was at the supermarket! She saw what Natsu did, and she caught me hanging out with him minutes before we left home."

"If your mother forbade you from seeing Natsu, does that mean you snuck out of your house?" Porlyusica wondered.

"Yeah. It's kinda awkward," Romeo rubbed his head sheepishly. "My mom said that Natsu wasn't good enough for me. She said he was a 'salmon-haired freak,' and his dad was a conceited father of a freak, just like my dad."

"Speaking of your dad…" Wendy spoke up. "I heard he's a wizard, just like me and Natsu. Does he have a name?"

"Yep," Romeo nodded. "His name is Macao Conbolt. He practices Purple Flare Magic. It has the power to make purple flames that stick to objects and can't be put out by wind or water."

Wendy asked, "Do you and your dad know each other well?"

"That's right," Romeo answered. "We used to have a lot of fun together. We played games, we took trips, we ate in a lot of very neat restaurants, and we bought cool things like clothes and toys and stuff. We had a blast." His eyes then shifted to the floor, "But when I was five years old, my mom and dad had an argument, and he ran away from home days later. I never knew why, and I never found out about my dad ever since."

"Oh, that's awful," Wendy said, touched by Romeo's backstory. "Your dad left without saying a word?"

Romeo continued, "My mom believed that my dad was too drunk with magic, and he was bossy and selfish. But I don't believe what my mom said; he's strong, super-cool, and the best dad I could ever ask for." He paused to let it sink in, "I really miss him. Someday, when I grow older, I'm gonna find him, and we're gonna see each other again, one way or another…"

While Romeo was talking with Wendy and Porlyusica, Makarov stared at the open window, not paying attention to the conversation. There, he saw Natsu outside, sitting on a bench on top of a small grass hill overlooking the sunset. Concern brimming in his thoughts, Makarov stood up from the sofa and approached the door.

"Dear?" Porlyusica turned to Makarov. "What is it?"

"Natsu's outside," Makarov replied. "I'll go talk to him."

With that, he grasped the handle and opened the door, hoping to find some way to appease his adoptive son's troubles.

* * *

The feeling of grief slowly gripped Natsu's chest. After that dangerous stunt, the townsfolk of Magnolia cast him out. Any hope of having new friends next to Romeo and Wendy was gone, and for that matter, any kind of life. He was despised, loathed, reviled. The boy who destroyed the town with his tremendous flames, the maniac who thought he could have friends, the kid with two sidekicks associated with his acts… he would never be the same again.

Makarov approached the bench and sat beside Natsu. He could tell that the disaster was still troubling the boy. He spoke gently, "Son, you shouldn't let those things they said back there get to you."

"But Gramps, they're right," Natsu darted from the bench, and his voice was loud and strong. "Look at me! I _am_ a freak! I tried to fit in, I really do, but I just can't. Wendy and Romeo are the only ones closest to me, and they're called freaks for trying to stand up to me. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I just didn't."

"I know how you feel, Natsu," Makarov understood, trying to give as much comfort as he could. "You tried your best to control your powers, to keep them at bay. Isn't that why they called you an outcast and never had any friends?"

Natsu said nothing. Makarov continued, "There's more at stake here than just our lives, son, or the lives of those around us. When the world discovers what we are capable of, it can change everything. Our beliefs, our notions, what it means to be human… One moment can change everything."

Natsu asked bitterly, "So everybody hates me because of my powers?"

Makarov shook his head, "I didn't mean that. They're just scared. They're afraid of what they don't understand."

"Is it true?" Natsu's body shook with anguish, almost about to break down. "Granny said that I'm a blessing from the gods. But did the gods do this to me? With all the flames and power…"

Makarov tried to explain, "Natsu, I…"

"Sometimes…" Natsu slowly composed himself. He stared at his bare hands, "It made me feel like…" He paused, then mustered the strength to press on, "…like I don't belong here. It made feel like I'm supposed to be… someplace else."

"Natsu, son…" Deep inside, Makarov knew this day would finally come.

"I know it doesn't make any sense." With a heavy sigh, Natsu walked away from the bench. The old man just sat there, thinking of what he must do to help his adoptive son.

* * *

Natsu stood at the edge of a cliff, feeling the warmth of the sun embracing his face in a red light. The sun would've been more beautiful, if it hadn't set on the day that he became even more despised. He felt that a different destiny lay ahead, just waiting for him. He's not just anyone; he felt that he was born for a reason. And even if it took him the rest of his life, he would embark on a journey to find out what that reason was.

The salmon-haired youth picked up a small rock and threw it, the object skimming across the ocean until it disappeared for a couple of miles, before he began to sing.

Natsu: **_I have often dreamed of a far off place  
Where a great, warm welcome will be waiting for me  
Where the crowds will cheer when they see my face  
And a voice keeps sayin' this is where I'm meant to be_**

Night had approached, and Natsu explored the forest. He climbed up a large tree to get a good view of the night sky.

 ** _I will find my way  
I can go the distance  
I'll be there someday  
If I can be strong  
I know every mile  
Will be worth my while_**

He sat on a branch and saw a shooting star passing by.

 ** _I would go most anywhere to feel like I belong_**

Natsu's sadness was relieved by this motivation, but only briefly. He climbed down the tree and began his trek back home. At least there were still those who cared for him to look forward to.

* * *

"So, just to make this short and sweet…" Romeo clarified, talking to Makarov and Porlyusica at the living room. "You're telling me that Natsu was not really your son? Not just Natsu, but Wendy as well?"

Porlyusica nodded, "Yes. We found Natsu lost in the mountains, and Wendy in the forest near Hargeon five years later."

Makarov rubbed his head awkwardly, "But I don't know how we're gonna explain to those kids. It'll break their hearts. Wendy's especially. She looked up to me as both a dad and a grandpa."

The conversation was interrupted when Natsu entered the living room, and in response, Makarov, Porlyusica, and Romeo straightened themselves. Then they paused. They stared at the young salmon-haired boy with a serious look.

"Granny? Gramps? Romeo?" Natsu wondered. "What's up?"

Makarov cleared his throat, "Natsu, there's something your mother and I have been meaning to tell you. Not just you, but Wendy as well."

"Really?" Natsu beamed with hope. "You knew something about Wendy, too?"

Makarov nodded, "Yes."

Natsu asked, "Should I wake her up?"

"Of course," Porlyusica allowed.

 **Later…**

The truth behind Natsu and Wendy's discovery was too much to absorb. The two were never Makarov and Porlyusica's own; they were abandoned years ago when they were babies, and they were born with different kinds of magic: Fire Magic for Natsu, and Sky Magic for Wendy. The two were stunned, having heard every word of the tale.

"…the first time we found you, Wendy, you breathed a large gust of wind from your mouth," Porlyusica explained to Wendy. "We took you to an examination lab in Onibus Town, as we did Natsu. The doctor said whatever magic that flows within the two of you didn't even…" She paused to clear her throat, "Didn't even exist on the normal or advanced magic category, but the Lost Magic category."

"Lost Magic?" Natsu questioned.

Makarov answered, "Lost Magic is an ultimate hidden form of magic. According to legend, it was used by the gods." He gestured to Natsu, "You, Natsu, possess Fire Dragon Slayer Magic, with the power of divine flames. You have the ability to absorb and eat all kinds of fire to increase your strength." He then gestured to Wendy, "And you, Wendy, possess Sky Dragon Slayer Magic, with the power of heavenly winds. Not only can you eat and control air, but you also have the ability to heal the sick and injured." He drew a deep breath, "That's another way of saying this magic is not from this world…" He paused to let the explanation sink in, "…and neither are you."

There was utter silence. It was like cutting fabric with scissors.

"You're the answer, kids," Makarov concluded. "You're the answer to 'Why do you have these powers?'"

"No…" Wendy whispered, her voice trembling as tears flowed from her eyes. "You're not our real parents…? Why didn't you tell us?"

"We're sorry, Wendy," Porlyusica apologized solemnly. "We just thought you should know."

Makarov added, "But you and Natsu are not just anyone. We believe that you were born for a reason. All these changes you've been going through, one day you're going to think of them as a blessing. When that day comes, you have to make a choice. A choice of whether to go the distance or not."

"Can't we…" Wendy sniffled. "Can't we just keep pretending you're our mom and dad?"

"Oh, sweetie," Porlyusica smiled, wrapping her arms around her adoptive daughter and giving her a warm, comforting embrace. The dark blue-haired girl surrendered to the comfort of the hug as she sobbed silently in Porlyusica's arms. "We are your mom and dad." After a minute, Wendy calmed down, and her adoptive mother helped dry her tears.

Natsu, on the other hand, was surprised. He asked, "I don't get it. If you found Wendy and me, then where did we come from? Why were we left here?" His adoptive parents had been concealing the truth for so long, but since Wendy did not take the news of her true origins lightly, Natsu was the only one eager to know.

"Check the back of your scarf," Makarov motioned. Natsu took the scarf off his neck and turned it around to see the symbol of Olympus engraved at the back.

"And this was around Wendy's neck the night we found her," Porlyusica said, taking out a golden medallion and giving it to the dark blue-haired girl. Wendy's name was engraved at one side, and the Olympus symbol on the other. "It's the symbol of the gods. Both you and Wendy held items with the same symbol."

"Wait," Wendy interrupted. "Does that mean…"

"Yes! This is it! Don't you see?" Natsu beamed happily, looking into his scarf and Wendy's medallion. "Maybe the gods of Olympus have the answers! All I have to do is go to the Temple of Igneel, and…"

He paused to take a glance at his adoptive parents, who smiled sadly at him. Awkward silence filled the living room, as the truth could be felt gushing from the one side onto the other. Even Romeo, who was intrigued by Natsu and Wendy's humble background, was at a loss for words. Finally, Natsu stepped forward.

"Granny, Gramps…" Natsu began. "You're the greatest parents anyone could ask for, and you always will be. But I gotta know. I gotta know where I belong."

Wendy dried the last of her tears and stood beside Natsu. She was still shocked from Makarov and Porlyusica's revelation, but her eyes shifted with small yet strong determination. "Me too. You said I had Lost Magic, just like Natsu. If what you said is true, my real parents are sure to be out there somewhere." She took a step forward, "You've done a lot for me and Natsu, and I appreciate that. But I want to know who I am and where I come from." She held Natsu's hand tightly, "I want to know where I belong, too." She paused, then spoke with such conviction in her voice, "I'm going with Natsu."

"It's alright, you can go," Porlyusica nodded, trying to prevent herself from bursting into tears. It hurts to see her children go, but if they want to, who was she to deny them?

"No matter where you came from, we will always be your mom and dad," Makarov assured Natsu and Wendy with a smile.

"I'm coming with you," Romeo stepped forward with a cheerful smile. "To be honest with you, I can't wait to know who you really are. If you're some kinda super-powered hero from another dimension, I can't wait to see you in action! Plus, I'm your best friend, and friends stick together, no matter what. If you're going, I'm going!"

"Why not?" Natsu smiled back. "An adventure's no fun without some friends along."

"Of course you can come with us," Wendy grinned. "We'll do lots of great things together!"

Romeo put his hands in his pockets and muttered to himself, "How am I gonna explain this to my mom?" He then shrugged, "Oh, well. I'm sure she'll understand."

Natsu cheered, "Alright! Let's go together!"

"YEAH!" Wendy and Romeo shouted in agreement.

* * *

The next morning, Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo had prepared for their journey ahead. Makarov and Porlyusica helped the three children pack the essentials: food, water, and cloaks around their bodies to keep them warm. Natsu and Wendy gave a heartfelt, loving hug to Makarov and Porlyusica, bidding them a very fond farewell and a promise that they would someday meet again, proud and strong.

Holding each other's hands, Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo walked down the dirt path, but not before turning back and waving goodbye. Makarov and Porlyusica waved back, with the old woman waving a napkin with a tear streaming down her cheek.

And thus, the group began their long journey to the Temple of Igneel, hope and determination fueling their hearts, as Natsu continued to sing.

Natsu: **_I am on my way  
I can go the distance  
I don't care how far  
Somehow I'll be strong_**  
 ** _I know every mile  
Will be worth my while  
I would go most everywhere to find where I belong_**


	7. The Temple of Igneel

Days had passed since Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo departed for the Temple of Igneel, with the winds and currents at their backs. The terrific weather conditions they feared would strike the young souls veered away, and they were spared from its torment. Luckily, their supplies remained at good levels, and whenever one of the three suffered wounds, Wendy would always mend the injury with her Sky Healing.

As soon as the three stopped, they finally reached their destination: a large stone temple created in honor of Igneel, the king of Olympus, standing at the top of a towering hill. Many people visited this place whenever they wish to offer prayers to the God of Fire himself, or the other Olympians, for that matter. Their prayers of blessing, joy, protection, and peace reached to the heavens like messages carried by birds, and the gods offered their own response. Many prayers were answered. Others were not.

The moment Natsu and the others entered, they noticed that the whole temple was empty. Not a single soul vibrated within the long hallway illuminated by darkness, the braziers unlit with fire. Still, the three children were amazed to have entered such a remarkable place.

"Wow! It's huge!" Wendy remarked. "I've never seen anything like it!"

Natsu grinned, "Granny and Gramps usually take me there sometimes. Igneel's their favorite god on Olympus."

Wendy stated, "Mom and Dad never took me to a place this huge before. Maybe even before I was born!"

Romeo added, "Me too! I've never visited that place. The only temple I visited was St. Rainbow Fire's. We prayed to Weisslogia, Cassandra, Chagot, and Mavis, but Igneel's pretty good, too."

Natsu replied to his friends, gesturing his arm around the hallway, "Well, guys, you're here now. Welcome to the Temple of Igneel, the biggest temple in the world."

Wendy beamed, "I've heard about the Temple of Igneel! It's one of the most visited temples in all of Earth-land, best known for its popular attraction, the super-huge Statue of Igneel, based on his real-life appearance. It's made by the best stone sculptors in the world."

Romeo asked, "How'd you know that?"

Wendy explained, "I've read a lot of history books back home."

Natsu chuckled in agreement, "It's no biggie. Wendy's five years younger than me, but she's way smart. She can memorize a lotta words and say them with her eyes closed!"

"Cool!" Romeo remarked. "It's like she's the brains of our team, while Natsu and I are the brawn."

Wendy replied, "I think Natsu is both the brains and the brawn. He's the whole package. He's like the leader of our team."

"Does that make me the brawn?" Romeo raised an eyebrow. "Just because I'm tough like my dad doesn't mean I'm not smart. I can think, too." He then resumed the subject, "So, Natsu, what's the plan?"

"First, we gotta find the Statue of Igneel," Natsu answered. "If he can answer our prayers, he'll tell us who I am and where I come from. The answer is close, I can taste it."

"What about me?" Wendy interjected. "I wanna know who I am as much as you do."

Natsu laughed, "Why would I forget about you, Wendy? Of course, you wanna know."

"Can I also ask Igneel where my dad is?" Romeo asked eagerly.

Natsu shrugged, "Beats me. If we pray as hard as we can, we're sure to find your dad."

"But where's the Statue of Igneel?" Romeo wondered, looking around the dark atmosphere. "We can't see through all this dark."

Natsu offered, "Leave that to me." He released a plume of fire from his hand and raised it up. It provided them a little bit of light for the kids to see. Wendy and Romeo followed Natsu, his burning fist providing the way. As they continued onward, they stopped in front of the Statue of Igneel, the form of a gigantic stone body of the Fire God sitting on a throne.

"Whoa…" Wendy and Romeo said in unison, their eyes widening with amazement.

"I never knew Igneel had a body like that," Romeo stated.

"Neither did I," Wendy nodded.

Natsu paused. Removing the scaly scarf from his neck, he noticed that his Olympus symbol matched the one on the medallion engraved on the shoulder of Igneel's statue. Wendy took out her medallion and realized that her symbol and Igneel's matched as well. Their hearts filled with hope, Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo knew that the answers they sought were right in front of them.

The three kids knelt on their left knees and held their hands together as they raised their heads towards the statue. Natsu was the first to speak, "Oh, mighty Igneel… Please, hear me, and answer my prayer. I need to know… who am I? Where do I belong?"

It was Wendy's turn to speak, "I need to know too, mighty Igneel. I want my questions to be answered. Who am I? Where did I come from? Please… I must know."

Romeo was next, "Oh, mighty Igneel… I have but one question. Do you know where I can find my dad?"

So far, there was no answer. Then again, it happens occasionally for mortals. But just then, an elegant wind blew through the entrance and into the hallway. Without warning, the wind carried a stream of fire that instantly set the braziers ablaze. Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo stared with agape mouths as a bolt of light struck the Statue of Igneel and surrounded it with a ring of fire. When the ring subsided, the statue's eyelids suddenly uprooted, and the stone eyebrows moved upward. The eyes glanced at the three children below, and from the statue's expression came first a look of surprise… and then, happiness.

Natsu and the others were confused. Why was the Statue of Igneel's face moving and smiling at them? Mostly at the salmon-haired boy?

"My boy," the statue whispered delightfully. "My little Natsu."

And just like that, it extended an arm, and its hand reached for Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo, their hearts beating rapidly and their eyes wrought with horror.

" **A GHOST! A LIVING STATUE!** " Wendy shrieked.

" **THIS PLACE IS HAUNTED!** " Romeo screamed.

" **RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!** " Natsu yelled.

The three screamed and attempted to run, but the statue's hand surprisingly caught them. It seemed to have prevented the three kids from escaping its grip, no matter how hard they tried.

"Hey, hey, hey! Hold on, kiddos!" the statue laughed jovially. "What's your hurry? You asked for my help, and you received it! Relax and enjoy every moment! And as for you, Natsu… After all these years, is this the kind of hello you give to your father?" The statue eventually caught Natsu and the others under both of its hands.

"F-F-F-Father?!" Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo poked their heads out from between the statue's fingers, stunned of what they just heard.

Romeo began, "You're…"

"Natsu's…" Wendy added.

"Dad?" Natsu finished.

Igneel removed his right hand to allow Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo to stand on his left hand as a platform. He chuckled, "Didn't know Natsu had a famous father, did you? **Surprise!** " That word was spoken with a thunderous boom in his voice, nearly scaring Natsu and the others out of their wits. Igneel glanced at Natsu, "My goodness, Natsu, look how you've grown. Why, you've got your mother's beautiful eyes, and my salmon hair. Ha-ha-ha!"

"You gotta be kidding me," Romeo said in disbelief. "Igneel is Natsu's real dad?"

"I can't believe it!" Wendy cried. "The God of Fire is actually talking to us!"

Igneel smirked, "I zapped my consciousness into this giant statue so that I can communicate with mortals. I responded to your prayers. What do you expect from the mighty king of Olympus, Wendy?"

"H-How did you know my name?" Wendy asked in surprise.

"As king of the Olympians, I know the names of all the mortals on Earth," Igneel explained, his benevolent eyes focused on Wendy. "Ah, Wendy Marvell. You have white skin and the innocence of your mother's eyes."

"You knew my mom?!" Wendy exclaimed shockingly.

"Yes. Her name is—" Igneel began.

"Um, excuse me…" Natsu interrupted, waving his hand.

Igneel turned to Natsu, "Yes, son?"

"I wanna ask you something. If you're my real dad…" Natsu wondered. "…that would make me a… a—"

"A god," Igneel clarified.

"A god… **A GOD?!** " Natsu screamed in bewilderment, the words of Igneel's revelation tripping him off his feet. "I'm a god, just like you?!"

"Just like every other god on Mount Olympus!" Igneel boomed happily. "You are the son of the King of the Gods and God of Fire, which is yours truly…" He gestured to himself, "…and the Queen of the Gods, Cassandra, who is also your mother."

"Natsu's an Olympian?! Like the famous Olympians?!" Romeo cried excitedly. "I can't believe it! This is crazy! The king of Olympus and his son are standing right in front of me!"

Natsu chuckled sheepishly, "I guess that explains why I got Fire Dragon Slayer Magic."

"Inherited from your old man," Igneel grinned. "The Fire Dragon Slayer Magic I bestowed upon you grants you the ability to breathe, control, and absorb fire at will. This powerful trait classifies you as a Fire Dragon Slayer."

"Wow…" Natsu remarked, touched by Igneel's explanation. "A Fire Dragon Slayer…"

"What about me?" Wendy asked excitedly. "I have Sky Dragon Slayer Magic, so that makes me a Sky Dragon Slayer! Am I a goddess, too?"

"Yes and no," Igneel answered.

"Yes and no?" Wendy raised an eyebrow.

"Perhaps an explanation is in order," Igneel suggested. "In fact, it's very important that you three listen very closely to the tale I'm about to tell you. It's the tale of Wendy's birth. It all began five years ago…"

Romeo sat down and crossed his legs, with Natsu and Wendy following suit. He smiled, "Sounds interesting."

Igneel cleared his throat, "Wendy's mother is Grandeeney, the Goddess of the Sky and my younger sister. Her father was Roubaul Marvell, the king of a distant land, a mortal man. Together, they had a baby girl, blessed with Sky Dragon Slayer Magic, the power to control wind and heal the sick and injured. Half-human, half-goddess."

"Half-human, half-goddess?" Natsu questioned. "You mean, she's a demigoddess?"

Wendy gasped in disbelief, "I had a goddess mom and a human dad?"

Romeo remarked, "Cool…"

Igneel continued, "There are some gods and goddess on Olympus who are well known for their various escapades with mortal men and women. As a result of their godly-human affairs, a new breed was created: demigods, mortal children with godly magic comparable to that of ours. Five years ago, my sister Grandeeney had an affair with Roubaul, and thus gave birth to a demigoddess. Her name is Wendy, a name that means 'Maiden of the Sky.'"

Romeo asked, "What happened?"

Igneel changed the mood of the story, "A barbarian tribe laid waste to Roubaul's kingdom of Nirvana. To ensure the safety of his newborn daughter, Roubaul entrusted a guild named Cait Shelter to hide her away. He feared that if Wendy's magic fell into the wrong hands, it could create chaos in the mortal world. In the end, Roubaul sacrificed his life to safe Wendy by throwing his body against a rain of arrows from the barbarians. During the escape, she was lost in the forest when Cait Shelter abandoned her by accident."

"And that's how Granny and Gramps took her in," Natsu understood.

Wendy was touched by Igneel's story. She said softly, "Grandeeney, my mom… and Roubaul, my dad… They risked everything to save me." She touched her heart, "Now I know… I finally know who I am."

"And if Grandeeney's your sister on Olympus, that means Wendy is my cousin!" Natsu clarified, banging a fist against his open palm. "On Earth!"

"You and Wendy are a part of one big family, son," Igneel remarked with a chuckle. "When you first came to the temple, you wanted answers, and by _fire_ , you're brave enough to know the truth. I expected you to be older, though."

"But if I'm a god, why'd you leave me on Earth?" Natsu asked, feeling a bit hurt. "Didn't you want me?"

"Of course we did," Igneel smiled softly. "Your mother Cassandra and I loved you with all our hearts." He then frowned, "But someone stole you from us and turned you mortal." He was still unaware that his brother, Mard Geer, was behind the kidnapping. "And only gods can live on Mount Olympus."

This broke Natsu's heart. He finally found out where he came from, but he was no longer a god, and therefore, he cannot return home to Mount Olympus. "And you can't do anything about it?"

"I can't, Natsu," Igneel shook his head, before he grinned. "But _you_ can."

"R-Really?" Natsu beamed with hope. "Tell me! I'll do anything!"

Igneel answered his son's question, "Natsu, if you can prove yourself a true hero on Earth, your godhood will be restored."

"Be a true hero? It's too easy!" Romeo smiled with confidence. "All we have to do is beat up a lot of bad guys, save people, and stuff! It's gonna be fun!"

Igneel shook his head, "I'm afraid it won't be as simple as that, Romeo."

"What do you mean?" Romeo questioned. "And how did you—"

"Like I said, I'm the king of Olympus, and I know every mortal's name," Igneel replied. "And the road to being a true hero is long and fraught with danger. It's a journey Natsu must take on his own, my young mortal."

"Really?" Romeo questioned. "I always thought a hero is all about fighting or rescuing or being brave."

"Oh, there's more to being a hero then just being brave," Igneel stated. "It doesn't mean you go looking for trouble. It's being able to handle trouble when it comes to you."

"You mean there's a lot to learn about being a hero?" Romeo asked.

"Yes," Igneel nodded. "It's something Natsu must discover for himself."

"So, if I'm gonna be a god again, I need to be a true hero," Natsu clarified, to which Igneel replied with a nod. "But exactly how do you become a true hero?"

Igneel recommended, "First, you must seek out the Eighth Islander, a renowned trainer of heroes. He lives in the enchanted island of Sirius, otherwise known as Sirius Island."

"Sirius Island…" Natsu rubbed his chin.

"Mr. Igneel, sir?" Wendy stood up, raising a hand.

"Yes, Wendy?" Igneel responded.

"Natsu's going to Sirius Island, right? So let me go with him!" Wendy requested. "Please, let me train with Natsu so that I can fight!"

"What?" Natsu was surprised by Wendy's request. "You're coming with me?"

"Please! I want to train! I want to fight! I really want to help everyone!" Wendy pleaded. "But I don't know if I'm strong enough yet…"

"Wendy…" Natsu said in concern. She had Dragon Slayer Magic just like him, but she was too young. Igneel, on the other hand…

"Well, the more the merrier!" the Fire God laughed. "Your Sky Dragon Slayer Magic could use a lot of adjustments. With proper training under the Eighth Islander, you will be a true heroine, just as Natsu will be a true hero. Your mother Grandeeney will be very proud of you. Your powers will serve you well."

Wendy replied with determination, "I'll do my best!"

"That's Wendy for ya," Natsu admired with a laugh. "Straightforward and never afraid to speak her mind."

"What about me?" Romeo darted up from Igneel's palm. "I wanna fight, too! I'd like the Eighth Islander to train me how to fight like Natsu and Wendy!"

"Sure, why not?" Igneel shrugged. "I won't mind. The road to being a true hero is paved with humility."

Natsu grinned, "An adventure's not fun without some friends along." He stood up and wrapped his arms around Wendy and Romeo's shoulders, "Me, Wendy, and Romeo, we're gonna make an awesome team. A team of true heroes!"

Wendy agreed, "We're with you all the way."

Romeo nodded, "Yep."

"Such confidence, Natsu," Igneel smiled. "I believe you and your friends are ready for the journey ahead."

"Come on, guys," Natsu motioned his friends. "We're going to Sirius Island. Let's— **WHOA!** "

The three yelped when they fell off Igneel's palm, not paying attention to where they went. Luckily, the statue of the Fire God caught the three kids in time, and landed them safely onto the ground. "Whoa, whoa! Hold your whiskers, kids!" he exclaimed. "Which reminds me…"

The statue gave a loud whistle, the echoing sound resonating with the wind. On cue, two glittering stars fell down through an opening in the roof. The moment they collided, emerging from the glitter came two Exceeds; a blue male Exceed with a green pouch tied to his back, and a white female Exceed wearing a yellow and pink dress with two bows tied on her neck and tail.

"Hey, Natsu!" the blue Exceed greeted cheerfully. "Did you miss me? It's been forever since we're together!"

"You shouldn't jump to conclusions, Happy," the white Exceed stated sternly. "The young Fire Dragon Slayer has met to remember who you are. He stayed on Earth for so long."

"You're just being so grouchy, Carla," Happy said slyly, taking out a fish wrapped in a bow. "Care for a fish to lighten your day?"

"No thank you," Carla turned her head away. "I've already eaten."

Igneel chuckled to Natsu, "You and Wendy probably don't remember your Exceed companions, but you four go way back, son. Happy is your gift at the very eve of your first birthday, and Carla is Wendy's housemaid, who tried to protect her from the barbarians that raided her home."

"Happy?" Natsu asked puzzled. "You're my pet cat?"

"Nope," Happy shook his head. "I'm your best friend."

"I thought I was your best friend," Romeo stated confusedly.

"No, no, no, I mean, my best friend on Olympus!" Happy corrected his mistake. "You're Natsu's best friend on Earth!"

"Oh, okay. That makes sense," Romeo nodded in understanding.

"Igneel created me as a present so that you could have a friend of your own. He, Cassandra, and I have been keeping an eye on you for a long time, watching you grow stronger every day. My favorite part was the time you went overboard and got away with wrecking things!"

Natsu wondered, "So, you were watching me to protect me?"

"We were watching you because we still love you. When you became so eager to be a true hero and go back home to Mount Olympus, Igneel sent me to help you on your quest. And here I am!" Happy smiled. "Happy, your number one flight-cat, at your service, sir!"

Natsu scratched his head in confusion, "Happy…?"

"You don't remember?" Happy wondered. "Man, it's like a furball stuck in your brain." He then came up with an idea, "Hey, that's it! This'll make you remember!" To Natsu's surprise, the blue Exceed bonked his forehead with the salmon-haired boy's, followed by a lick on the cheek. When Natsu rubbed his head, something came back. Instead of confusion, his face brightened with joy and gladness.

"Happy!" Natsu cried, happily hugging his boyhood Olympus pal.

"That's Natsu for ya," Happy grinned. "Always good for a hug."

Carla remarked with a giggle, "A very touching moment indeed."

"Excuse me, Carla?" Wendy tapped the white Exceed on the shoulder, catching her attention. "You used to be my housemaid, right?"

"Yes, child," Carla nodded solemnly. "I was afraid I lost you. When the barbarians attacked and slaughtered the entire Cait Shelter Guild, I was the only one left. I did the best I could to house you from danger, but you were gone on the night of a terrible storm." Her voice began choking a little from emotion, "All these years, I thought you were dead… and now you're back. Do you have any idea what that means to me?" She then looked up at Wendy, tears glistening in her eyes. "I lost you, your father died at the hands of those barbarians, and Nirvana was destroyed. I thought I'd never be happy again after that. And to see you here, alive and breathing, it's all just so…"

Before she could break down, Wendy pulled the white Exceed into a hug. She held Carla close as she sobbed onto her shoulders. Slowly, Wendy lowered Carla onto the ground, kneeling while keeping her securely wrapped in her arms.

"It's okay, Carla," Wendy comforted, drying Carla's tears with her soft, small hands. "You did your best to keep me safe."

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry," Carla apologized, calming down and wiping away the remaining tears with her paws. "I must've been an awful mess."

Wendy smiled, "You actually look pretty when you cry."

A smile of appreciation formed on Carla's face. She replied, "Thank you very much. I appreciate your kindness. Lord Igneel has sent me and Happy to aid you, Natsu, and Romeo on your quest." She gave a respectful bow to Wendy, "As a debt of honor to your father, I will protect and guide you. I will see you through to the end, no matter what."

"Thanks, Carla," Wendy once again wrapped her arms around Carla. "You're the greatest!"

Carla giggled, and reciprocated the hug, "The pleasure is all mine. It's good to see you again, Wendy."

Wendy replied, "It's good to see you again, too."

Romeo remarked with a smile, "Wow! You gotta admit, those cats got style!"

"Exceeds are a magnificent race," Igneel commented. "They have the brain and speech of a human, but the agility and behavior of a cat."

"We're just cats, but we also do lots of cool things," Happy stated. "Check it out!" He took out a couple of balls and juggled them to illustrate his point, only for them to accidentally fall on his head. "Okay, I'm not used to this sort of thing yet."

Carla reminded, "Happy, we must go. We should focus on the task at hand."

"Yeah, let's go!" Natsu agreed.

"Aye!" Happy cried, and with his wings, he carried Natsu's back and flew him up in the air. "It's gonna be one heck of an adventure for all of us!"

"You can fly?" Wendy cried in amazement. "My turn! I wanna fly!"

"Don't get too excited, child," Carla pointed out. "We still need to bring Romeo along."

"She's right," Romeo nodded. "Don't leave me hanging."

"How about it? While Happy carries me and Carla carries Wendy, I'll carry you," Natsu offered. "It's no sweat!"

"Let's do it!" Romeo agreed. With that, Happy swooped down to the ground with Natsu, and the latter grabbed Romeo's chest with his arms. The blue Exceed returned to the air with both boys. "I always wanted to fly, anyway."

"So, Wendy, shall we get started?" Carla asked, spreading her wings.

"Let's go!" Wendy nodded. With that, Carla grabbed the dark blue-haired girl's back and flew up, joining Natsu, Romeo, and Happy in the air.

Romeo scratched his head, raising an eyebrow, "You know, I have a feeling I forgot to ask Igneel something… Something important…"

Natsu shouted eagerly, "We're going to Sirius Island! We'll find the Eighth Islander, and I'll become a true hero!"

"That's the spirit!" Igneel beamed.

"I won't let you down, Dad!" Natsu promised.

With a huge breath, Igneel blew from behind the two Exceeds, sending them flying outside the temple with Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo as they all screamed for joy.

"Good luck, son," Igneel whispered. The statue reverted back to its inanimate state, instantly extinguishing the braziers' fire and flooding the temple into darkness once more. Igneel was confident that when his son was successful, they would at last reunite.

* * *

Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo laughed together as Happy and Carla rode them into the sky, making some twists, turns, and other stunts along the way, while still retaining their tight hold with their paws. Throughout the trek, Natsu continued his song proudly.

Natsu: **_I will beat the odds  
I can go the distance  
I will face the world  
Fearless, proud, and strong  
I will please the gods  
I can go the distance  
Till I find my hero's welcome right where I belong!_**

The five of them soared into the shining light of the sun, their hearts filled with courage and determination as they head for their next destination: Sirius Island. They were blissfully unaware of the planets on the verge of alignment, signifying the fulfillment of the Fates' prophecy…


	8. Meeting Yajima

Natsu and the others made a slow and steady landing on solid ground after flying through the obscuring fog, none of them prepared for the sudden change in their surroundings. Natsu asked, "You sure this is the right place?"

Happy answered, "Ever since staying up on Olympus, I've known the location of every place in Earth-land. I can see everything from the clouds, even through the fog."

Wendy wondered, "Are we in Sirius Island?"

Natsu added, "Because if it is, it sure reminds me of my Christmas vacation in Akane Resort, only not so foggy. Granny and Gramps used to take me there."

"But the fog makes it hard for us to see," Romeo pointed out. "I'm not sure if we're in Sirius Island or somewhere else."

Happy confirmed, "I'm positive this is the place. Have I ever been wrong?"

"How about I light the way with my fire?" Natsu offered. "Just to be sure?"

"Or maybe I can eat the fog," Wendy suggested.

"Eat the fog?" Romeo asked.

Carla stated, "Wendy is a Sky Dragon Slayer. She can eat and absorb any type of air, especially the fog. Perhaps this will be her first lesson to learn how to control her magic."

"Alright, then," Natsu grinned. "Wendy, do your stuff."

"I'll try," Wendy nodded, before she corrected herself. "No, I'll do it." Standing still and focusing her energy, she inhaled, and the fog vacuumed towards her. Natsu, Happy, Romeo, and Carla watched speechlessly as the rest of the fog reached its intended target: her mouth. At first, only small bits of smoke disappeared, but due to Wendy's inhalation, the rest of the fog vanished. As soon as she had her fill, Wendy wiped her mouth. "Mmm, delicious. I feel great."

Natsu admired, "Feels like you got a fire in your belly."

"Fire in her belly?" Happy asked. "More like air."

"Either way, that's a good start," Natsu winked at Wendy. "Nice work, Wendy."

Wendy giggled with a blush, "Wow. I never knew what I was capable of."

Carla smiled, "I always believed in you, Wendy."

"Now do we get to see the rest of the island?" Natsu asked.

"Definitely," Happy nodded.

Emerging from the remnants of the fog, the mystical Island of Sirius revealed itself to the eyes of the five companions.

The island was bordered on the west of Fiore by the vast Aquarius Sea, with no other isles visible in the surrounding area. It was a mildly small and steep island covered by lush vegetation, both bright yellow and green in color. One side of the island was particularly rocky, possessing large formations jutting outwards from the ground, one near the shore, protruding above the sea, and the other near the center of the island overlooking it; the latter had a pair of waterfalls falling down from it in a small lake below.

At the center of the island stood its most distinctive element: the Great Sirius Tree, a gigantic tree with a gnarled, mildly curved trunk, ending in a number of large branches. It possessed a multitude of similarly large, curved and twisted roots, which right below the trunk sustained massive lumps of earth; something which created some sort of covered area right below the tree itself.

"Neat green and yellow grass, sturdy rocks, and a humungous tree…" Natsu remarked, rubbing his chin. "Now that's what I call enchanting! Dad couldn't be more wrong. Is this a cool place or what?"

Happy explained, "Sirius Island used to be a training ground for legendary heroes. A long time ago, the island was filled with a lot of people, and they trained under the same teacher."

Natsu guessed, "The Eighth Islander, right?"

"Aye," Happy nodded. "The Eighth Islander is a wise teacher. He trained warriors, even demigods, to be heroes, and they all had their names engraved in legend. But one day, there was a terrible accident involving the Islander's last student. Consumed by grief, he isolated himself in his own island, and no one visited there since."

Wendy assumed, "Maybe he's sad because something happened to his last student."

Happy shrugged, "I think so."

"Don't be so presumptuous, children," Carla stated. "The sooner we find the Eighth Islander, the sooner we can begin your training."

Natsu glanced around to spot the remains of a warrior statue covered in grass. He commented, "Whoa, you thought that anyone who's a trainer of heroes would've kept the place cleaned up."

"You said it," Romeo agreed.

The five companions marched further down the small grass path in search of the Eighth Islander. The sun was just skimming the horizon when they came to a small wide river paved with small trees at the end of the path. From behind a cluster of bushes, they saw three female creatures laughing in the trees and splashing each other with water. Their names were Flare Corona, Kinana, and Mattan Ginger, and they were known as Changelings, creatures with the ability to shape-shift.

Happy examined, "Check out the pretty ladies taking a bath."

"I know them. They're called Changelings," Wendy pointed out. "They can transform into anything, from rocks to trees to bushes."

"There's no telling what they'll do if they spot us. We must keep our guard up," Carla noted.

"You mean, stay hidden and out of sight?" Natsu asked, to which Carla nodded. "Got it. _Hidden Dragon's_ my middle name."

"Don't get too reckless!" Carla said sharply.

Just then, Natsu spotted from a nearby bush what appeared to be the backside of a person wearing dark purple pants and simple shoes. Assuming that the figure was stuck in the bush, he asked, "What's the matter, little guy? You stuck?"

" **WHOA!** " the person yelped when he was pulled out. He was revealed to be a short old man with thick light-brown eyebrows and a small toothbrush-sized moustache, and he wore a brown long-sleeved shirt with black vertical stripes and a black three-headed spiked hat.

"Hey!" Natsu exclaimed. "You're not a kid! You're an old geezer!"

"Huh?" The old man noticed the one holding him up. He snapped, "What do you think you're doing, little brat? Butt out!" He waved his arms against Natsu, the latter dropping him.

The old man's voice was loud enough to alert the Changelings that they were compelled to flee. Taking notice of their retreat, the old man cried desperately, "Girls! Stop! Stop! Come back, come back!" The moment he got a hold of Mattan's arm, she magically exploded into flowers, much to his dismay. "Oh, dear. Wait! Wait, wait, wait!"

Flare transformed into a tree, hoping to hide herself from the old man. However, he easily spotted her tree form and gave a dashing smirk. He chuckled slyly, "Changelings. They can't keep their hands off me."

"Pervert!" Flare snapped, and she smacked him with one of her branches, flinging him away.

"Ugh, that hurts," the old man groaned, picking himself up. He sighed, "I should've worked harder on my irresistible, heart-stealing techniques. I was afraid I'd never be able to flirt with the nice ladies again." He then spotted Natsu and his friends, and his expression turned to a scowl, "What's the matter, young whippersnappers? You've never seen an old geezer living in an enchanted island before?"

"Well, as enchanting as this place is, he is certainly too old for his own good," Carla crossed her paws.

"I heard that!" the old man shouted at the white Exceed.

"Oh, forgive me," Carla apologized. "I was caught off guard, but rest assured, no offense was meant. My name is Carla."

"It's nice to meet you, Carla," the old man said sarcastically, before he turned and walked away. "Now go home."

"What?" Carla said, offended. "That's just rude!"

"Let me handle this," Natsu suggested to Carla. He went over to the old man, who stood by a small rock. "Excuse me, mister? Are you one of the locals, or…"

Picking up a nearby apple, the old man answered, "Kid, I'm the only resident in this island. In fact, this whole island is my home."

"Oh, okay," Natsu confirmed. "So I was wondering if we could ask you for help. We're looking for a trainer of heroes. He's called the Eighth Islander."

"The Eighth Islander was my nickname," the old man answered, taking a bite of the apple and chewing it. "My name's Yajima. Call me Yaj."

" **YAJIMA!** " Natsu, Wendy, Romeo, and Happy screamed excitedly. Now that they've found the Eighth Islander, their hopes of becoming true heroes were as high as ever! The four swarmed around the old man, and Natsu started off by giving him a painful, bone-crushing hug.

"Boy, are we glad to meet you, Yaj! I'm Natsu Dragneel!" Natsu greeted cheerfully.

When the salmon-haired kid released the hug, Yajima cringed, his body strained and nearly crushed. He wheezed, "That hurts…"

Wendy grabbed Yajima's hand and shook it, "My name is Wendy Marvell. It's nice to meet you, Mr. Yajima." She gestured to Carla, "You knew Carla. She's my friend."

"Carla?" Yajima raised an eyebrow. "The cat is your friend?"

"Of course I am," Carla said. "I'm also her guardian. She's far too young to be travelling unaccompanied."

Yajima smirked, "Oh, I see. That makes you the housemaid. An entourage. A cat-servant."

Carla frowned, "I'm no simple servant, you wrinkling ruffian."

Yajima countered, "And I'm no wrinkling ruffian, you white fuzzy rat."

"Fuzzy rat?" Carla snapped at this offense. "I'm a fuzzy rat?!"

"Oh, I'm so scared," Yajima whimpered sarcastically. "What are you going to do? Attack me with your feather duster, or that thing you call a whisker?" He chuckled amusingly.

Carla turned her head away in disgust, "Hmph. Why won't this unrefined elder show any manners?"

"If you're done talking, let me say my name," Romeo interjected. "The name's Romeo Conbolt. I'm a friend of Natsu's."

"Oh, great," Yajima rolled his eyes. "More weirdoes."

"And I'm Happy, the coolest cat on Earth!" Happy cheered, striking a pose with his paw. "I'm smart, cute, and tough as fur!" The moment he flew up with his wings, his fur accidentally inched closer to Yajima's nose, causing him to give a loud sneeze that sent boogers flying towards a tree.

"Eww!" Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo cringed. "Gross!"

"Cats," Yajima wiped his nose. "They give me the runny nose."

"Oops," Happy chuckled nervously. "Sorry. I'm just too excited."

"It's very nice to meet you kids," Yajima greeted sarcastically. "Now go away. I've got some things to do." He walked off.

"Hey, wait!" Natsu shouted.

"Pathetic," Carla said bitterly.

Natsu and his friends followed Yajima to his house, which turned out to be a giant statue head fitted with a door, and the eyes served as windows. Wendy began, "Mr. Yajima, we came all this way to Sirius Island to come and see you."

Yajima scoffed, "What of it?"

Romeo answered, "We're here to ask for your help."

"I want to become a hero. A _true_ hero," Natsu explained. "My dad told me you were a famous trainer of heroes. It would be great if you would train me. I want you to train me so that I can control my Fire Dragon Slayer Magic. And then, I'll use my powers for something good, maybe even better."

Happy asked, "Better than wrecking stuff, I suppose?"

Natsu replied with a shrug, "Pretty much, yeah."

"You want _me_ to train _you?_ " Yajima looked back at Natsu, raising an eyebrow. "And what do you mean, Fire Dragon Slayer Magic? Isn't that one of the Lost Magics?"

"That's right!" Natsu nodded proudly. "I'm a Fire Dragon Slayer. My magic gives me the power to eat and breathe fire. A few years ago, I tried to control it, but it ended up hurting a lot of people. It's awkward." He scratched his head, but his smile never wavered. "That's why I came here! I want you to teach me how to control my powers. And then, I'm gonna be a true hero!"

"Don't forget me," Wendy interjected. "I'm a Sky Dragon Slayer. I know I'm much smaller and younger than Natsu or Romeo, but I can control the wind and using healing magic. So please…" She went down on her knees and begged, "Train me, Mr. Yajima! Train me! I'd be so embarrassed if you sent me home!"

Carla reminded Wendy, "You'll never gain Yajima's respect if you can't show confidence, child." She then muttered to herself, "I doubt it'll work."

"Train me as well," Romeo requested. "I want to learn how to use magic, so I can fight with Natsu and Wendy."

Yajima wondered, "You mean, you're the only one without magic?"

"Yep," Romeo nodded. "I wanna use my own kind of magic. I wanna grow stronger. Be a big help to my friends."

"Mr. Yajima, those three children are full of potential, and they show tremendous promise," Carla stated, gesturing to Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo. "You've got a new breed of students standing right in front of you."

"Aye! Natsu and Wendy are real Dragon Slayers destined to be heroes," Happy grinned. "And Romeo's a hero, too!"

Yajima frowned, "Sorry, kids. Not interested. As legendary as you claim your magic is, I can't train you." With that, he grasped the doorknob and opened it. "Good day." He closed the door, shutting himself in.

" **WHAT?!** " Natsu, Wendy, Romeo, Happy, and Carla exclaimed shockingly.

"Wait!" Natsu cried. When he grabbed the doorknob, he ended up pulling the door right off the statue head, lifting up a surprised Yajima holding the doorknob on the back of the door. "Sorry. Why not?"

Yajima jumped down and took the door back from Natsu. "Two words:" he answered. "I am retired." He shoved it to the statue head, putting it back in place. A puzzled Natsu counted Yajima's words with his fingers.

"Um, don't you mean _three_ words?" Wendy questioned.

"It's too bad he's old to understand math," Romeo sighed.

"C'mon, Yaj, here me out," Natsu tried to reason with Yajima who, after he fixed the door, was about to go back inside. "I gotta do this. It's my dream. Haven't you ever had one? Something you wanted so bad you'd do anything?"

And all at once, Natsu's words came flooding into Yajima's brain: the joy, the sadness, the pain, the anger, memories of honor and triumph, ruin and defeat, and days gone by…

Finally, the old man answered with a heavy sigh, "Kids, come inside. I want to show you something." Complying, Natsu and his friends entered the house with Yajima.

* * *

Upon entering, Natsu, Wendy, Romeo, Happy, and Carla were amazed; they noticed that Yajima's house was packed with weapons, artifacts, vases, statues, and props set up and shelved like museum attractions. Along the way, Romeo bumped his head against what appeared to be the remains of a wooden mast. "Ouch!" he groaned.

"You okay?" Natsu asked.

"Should I use my healing magic?" Wendy flexed her small hands.

"No thank you," Romeo shook his head and smiled. "It's just a small bump."

"Watch your heads, kids," Yajima instructed. "That was part of the mast of the Red Lizard Guild's ship, the _Tenrou Jade._ "

"The _Tenrou Jade?_ " Natsu gasped. "That's the name of Red Lizard's super-amazing ship that took out a whole battle fleet with its awesome firepower! I heard stories about it!"

"Oh, so you recognized it? I'm impressed, really," Yajima replied. "But who do you think taught Master Zeeself to sail? Hiro Mashima?" He guided Natsu and his friends to the center of the house, "30 years ago, I was hailed as the most revolutionary hero trainer in my time. I trained all these would-be heroes. I lost count, but I remembered the most important names." He gestured to a collection of objects that represented heroes he trained in the past, "Warrod Sequen, Precht Gaebolg, Robert "Grandpa Rob" Heavens. And one by one, they let me down flatter than a disc." He spun a plate with a picture of Precht fighting a dragon, which as it spun, showed the dragon beating him up. "None of them could go the distance."

"That's terrible…" Wendy sympathized.

Carla stated, "No matter how much your students trained, they failed to live up to your standards."

"I guess that's why all these heroes died and became a part of the history books," Natsu understood.

"They were a disgrace," Yajima mused. "To think they called themselves heroes…" But then, a thin smile broke over the old man's face, "But then came my big hope." He motioned to a large statue, "My greatest student. My star pupil. My legacy." It depicted a tall, muscular man with shoulder-length orange hair and a stubby beard. He wore a black tattered cloak with shoulder plates, armor-like prosthetic limbs, a simple belt, long-fitting dark pants, armored waist-guard bearing plates, and armored boots. "Gildarts Clive."

"Gildarts Clive?" Natsu wondered.

"He was the guild master of Fairy Tail, the most powerful guild in all of Fiore," Yajima explained. "Born a demigod, he was the son of Capricorn, the God of Virtue, and a human mother. He possessed powerful abilities beyond any demigod ever born. He was looked up to as a role model, a shining symbol of hope, and the morale of Fairy Tail itself." His smile grew wider, "Now there was a guy who had it all— the build, the power, the speed, the agility, the charisma, and the smarts. He could jab! He could take a hit! He could keep on coming!"

Yajima paused, and his happy expression was suddenly replaced with frustration. "But that **BLASTED LEFT ARM AND LEG** of his! He barely gets nicked there once, and he was out the door faster than Haru Glory folding on laundry day! KABOOM!" With a flick of his finger, the statue cracked and collapsed into a pile of rubble, signaling Gildarts' end. "He's history."

"What happened then?" Natsu asked. "Did Fairy Tail find out?"

"Yes," Yajima nodded sadly. "The day Gildarts died was the day my world was torn from me. The guild did not take the news of their beloved master's death lightly. Without their master, their morale was gone. They lost most of the guild's members, their faith, their reputation, their hearts… and their pride. And you know what they did? They vented their anger and frustration on me. They blamed me for leading Gildarts to his death. And so, Fairy Tail severed ties with me, and they vowed never to speak to me again."

"Oh, no…" Wendy whispered in disbelief.

"Eventually, my training school ran out of his business for the lack of students," Yajima's expression turned grim. "I was alone, bankrupt, disgraced, fallen from glory. I lived a life of solitude as a reminder of the failures I've had." He then glanced to Natsu and the others, "But when you came here and asked me to train you, I never expected the day the old world I used to belong to... would find me here."

"That's why we're here," Natsu said. "We're asking you to train us. It's our dream to be heroes."

"I used to have a dream, too," Yajima stated. "A dream that I would train the greatest hero there ever was." He hung a picture up on the mast, depicting a hero drawn in the form of a constellation. "So great that the gods would hang a picture of him in the stars, all across the sky, and people would say…" He whispered with a smile, "'That's Yaj's boy.' That's right." He then frowned, pulling the picture down. "But dreams are for rookies." He went over to a table and sat down, dejected, "A guy can only take so much disappointment."

"But I'm different than those other guys, Yaj! I **CAN** go the distance," Natsu insisted. "C'mon, I'll show ya." He grabbed Yajima's hand and dragged him to the exit, the old man's head hitting the _Tenrou Jade's_ mast on the way out, with Wendy, Romeo, Happy, and Carla following them. One way or another, Natsu was going to prove to the skeptic retired hero trainer that he could be so much more.


	9. One Last Hope

"Ugh, I can't believe this! Those kids just don't know when to give up!" Yajima complained as Natsu dragged him outside towards a particular area of the island's lush grasslands, where the fragment of a statue at least a hundred stories tall stood. The salmon-haired boy was ever determined to convince Yajima to train him, Wendy, and Romeo; he would demonstrate an example of his Fire Dragon Slayer Magic to do so. Released from Natsu's grip, Yajima questioned, "You're not taking no for an answer, are you?"

"Watch this," Natsu smirked. By the time Wendy, Romeo, Happy, and Carla regrouped with him, the salmon-haired boy stood still, staring at the large statue fragment with fierce, narrowed eyes. In a mighty explosion, an aura of bright fire blazed from his body, his voice screaming for more power as the flames grew. Natsu drew his clenched burning fist against the piece of stone, and swiftly flew it with a colossal bang. Within ten seconds, the entire statue fragment cracked and shattered into a million pieces of rock. Natsu then turned to a baffled Yajima with a proud smile, "How's that for _real_ firepower?"

"It's my turn now! Watch this!" Wendy elected. She remained where she was and stared at the rubble with a firm and strong gaze. Inhaling with all her might, she absorbed a large stream of wind into her body. Once the process came to a halt, she exhaled a large gust of wind. It was such a powerful gust, such an unusual gust to conjure up from the young demigoddess that every single piece of the rubble was flung miles away and into the ocean. Not a small, single one remained. She turned to Yajima with a smile, "I may be young, but I'm way strong! Anything is possible if I work my hardest and believe in myself!"

Carla smiled proudly, "Now do you see the true power of those young Dragon Slayers, Mr. Yajima?"

Happy agreed, "They're awakening the dragon inside them! Now you'll be begging to train them!"

Romeo grinned, "You're gonna train us, because you need us. You need heroes like us. Right, Mr. Yaj?" He noticed that the old man didn't answer. "Right?"

"Holy Mavis…" Yajima breathed, amazed to have seen the destructive power of a Dragon Slayer. He was so moved by Natsu and Wendy's raw talent that he began to ponder. "You know, maybe if I could…" He then shook his head, realizing what that idea could lead to. "No. No, no, no, no, no, no…" He slapped himself in the face, "Snap out of it!" He then walked away, "I'm too old to get mixed up in this stuff again."

"What?!" Romeo exclaimed.

"You're just gonna walk out on us?" Happy whined.

"How come?" Carla demanded.

"Listen, just because your magic is destructive and powerful doesn't mean I'm convinced to whip a bunch of young whippersnappers like you into shape!" Yajima answered bitterly.

"Yaj, please! I gotta do this!" Natsu protested. He wasn't willing to let this chance slip by. "If I don't become a true hero, I'll never be able to rejoin my father, Igneel!"

Yajima raised an eyebrow, "Igneel?"

Natsu nodded, "Yeah, you know, the king of Olympus, the God of Fire."

"And Grandeeney, the Goddess of the Sky, is my mother," Wendy added.

"Grandeeney?" Yajima asked incredulously.

"I'm a demigoddess," Wendy explained. "I have a goddess mother and a human father."

"Oh, I see," Yajima confirmed. "And I take it your salmon-haired friend is a demigod?"

"No," Natsu shook his head.

"Then what are you? Some kind of super-mortal or something?" Yajima asked with a frown. "Out with it!"

Natsu took a deep breath, ready to reveal his background. He was uncertain of Yajima's reaction when he knew of his true origins as a god of Olympus. Nonetheless, Natsu decided to tell the tale. Mustering his courage, he responded, "I'm a god, born on Mount Olympus. Igneel, the king of Olympus, is my dad, and Cassandra, the queen of Olympus, is my mom. I used to be a god, until someone turned me mortal, and only gods are allowed to live on Mount Olympus. My dad said that if I become a true hero, I'll finally come home." He then smiled, "So what do you say, Yaj? Will you train us now?"

Yajima was at a loss for words. Natsu and Wendy's show of display with their magic wasn't convincing enough, but the truth of Natsu's birth…

"Hold it," he spoke. He felt that Natsu's explanation was quite absurd. "You're a god turned mortal, right? Igneel and Cassandra are your mother and father? Are you serious?"

Natsu nodded, "Yes."

Happy added, "Aye."

Romeo added, "Yep."

Wendy added, "Uh-huh."

Carla added, "Absolutely."

"You're a god? A runt like you?" Yajima exclaimed, pointing a finger at Natsu, before he laughed hysterically. "That's a hoot! You're the son of the king and queen of Olympus!"

Natsu widened his eyes at the realization that he was being laughed at. Heaviness began to develop in his heart.

Carla was offended by Yajima's behavior against Natsu. She countered, "What's so funny? Natsu is a true child of Olympus!"

Yajima just kept on laughing as he fell on the ground, laughing even harder. "This is really making my day! Igneel, the big guy, he's your daddy! And Cassie's your mommy!"

Natsu was reaching his breaking point. The insults kept eroding his mood.

Wendy cried, "Stop laughing at Natsu! You're hurting him!"

Yajima slowly picked himself up, his body trembling. "Iggy's your daddy! And Cassie's your mommy! I mean, there were a few times when Iggy and Cassie bred new baby gods on Olympus. I bet they'd go all melty and turn into a pink puddle in the mortal world! Kind of like ice cream soup, only they'd be ex-god soup!" He laughed hysterically again.

Natsu's breaths got heavier. His frown festered, and his eyes moistened.

Romeo argued, "Natsu's telling the truth! Why didn't you believe us?!"

Yajima continued laughing, "Hey, I just noticed why you're a god turned mortal! It's because you must've been drinking a lot of baby milk, that you lost your godly powers! The next day, you were shunned from the herd, and you are mortal now! But why do you still have your flames?!"

The dam that was holding back the salmon-haired kid's tears was rapidly breaking down. Letting the tears flow from his eyes would only make the situation more embarrassing.

Happy protested, "Stop it! Leave Natsu alone!"

Yajima laughed even harder than before, "Iggy's your daddy! Cassie's your mommy! Mr. and Mrs. Flaming Breath!" He mocked in a baby voice, " _Read me a book, will you, Da-Da?_ Ha-ha-ha, Iggy!" He then mimicked Igneel's voice, " _Once upon a time…_ "

" **STOOOOOOOOOP IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTT!** " Natsu yelled, the laughter suddenly broken by the heaviness in his throat. Yajima caught his breath and calmed down. Natsu's anger and embarrassment fused into one negative emotion, and he confronted the old man with an angry face mixed with tears. He said, "Why didn't you believe me?! I'm telling the truth! Igneel is my dad! Igneel's my dad… Igneel…"

Emotionally hurt, the salmon-haired kid lacked the strength to speak more. He collapsed on his knees and began to cry louder with even more tears. Yajima paused, wrought with guilt. He knew that he reached his limit since he began to feel like a bully. Dealing with bullies in school was part of his most unpleasant memories.

Wendy, Romeo, Happy, and Carla realized what Yajima did to Natsu and felt sorry for their friend. The four stared angrily at the old man, while comforting the emotionally weeping boy at the same time.

"Now look what you've done!" Carla accused. "You made Natsu cry! You should be ashamed of yourself!"

"W-W-What did I ever do to that kid?" Yajima exclaimed in surprise. "What he said about him being a god of Olympus turned mortal, it struck my funny bone!"

Happy glared, "That doesn't excuse you for what you did, you big bully! Natsu is telling the truth! He _is_ a god! He's Igneel's son!"

Wendy added angrily, "Yeah! Igneel talked to us at the temple!"

Romeo stated, "He sent us here, and we found you! He said so!"

Carla growled, "You'd better apologize to Natsu and start training him, or else!"

"Oh, please!" Yajima scoffed, and he began to sing.

Yajima: **_So you wanna be a hero, kid, well, whoop-de-do  
I have been around the block before with blockheads just like you  
Each and every one a disappointment  
Pain for which there ain't no ointment_**

 ** _So much for excuses  
Though a kid of Ig is  
Asking me to jump into the fray_**

He jumped on top of a pillar and turned to face the five, ready to give his answer. He was made unaware of the dark clouds forming overhead in their midst.

 ** _My answer is two words…_**

At that moment, a gigantic stream of fire erupted from the clouds and struck Yajima before he could continue. When the flames subsided, as did the clouds, the old man was left in a smoked, fried husk. It would appear that Igneel was determined to make sure that Natsu was properly trained to be a hero. And on top of that, he was unforgiving against Yajima for the way he treated his son. Finally, the old man gave his answer in a weak, wheezing voice.

"Okay."

"Really?" Natsu looked up to face Yajima. Though his eyes were still watery, they seemed to have sparkled in wonder as he beamed happily. "You're gonna do it?"

"You win," Yajima groaned in defeat. "I'll train you."

"And?" Happy smiled mischievously. Wendy and Romeo wouldn't want to be left out.

"I'll train the little girl…" Yajima added reluctantly. "…and the other boy." Those words were enough to make Wendy and Romeo squeal for joy. The old man turned to Romeo, "What magic would you like me to teach you?"

"Rainbow Fire!" Romeo cried excitedly. "Rainbow Fire! I want Rainbow Fire!"

"Rainbow Fire?" Yajima exclaimed. "That magic is very advanced, even for a child your age!"

Romeo stated, "Rainbow Fire controls all types of fire. It's like the coolest magic ever! I don't care how advanced this magic is; I wanna use it! If I learn how to use Rainbow Fire, I'll be as strong as Natsu!" He then jumped up and down excitedly, "This is gonna be awesome! I'm gonna be a wizard! A real wizard! Just like my dad!"

"Very well," Yajima accepted. "Rainbow Fire it is."

" **YES! YES! YES! YES!** " Romeo screamed joyfully.

Having wiped the last of his tears, Natsu's expression turned more cheerful than ever. He turned to the rest of his friends, "Welcome to hero school, everybody!"

Romeo shouted, " **YEAH!** "

Wendy cried, "Woo-hoo!"

Happy cheered, "Aye!"

They group celebrated that Yajima finally agreed to train them. It took a huge fire breath from Igneel to persuade the old man to come out of retirement. Carla just stood there with her paws crossed, giving a confident smile. "And so it begins…" she spoke.

"Come this way," Yajima groaned. He hoped that his new students won't be major disappointments, just like the rest.

"You're not gonna regret this, Yaj!" Natsu promised.

"Oh, gods," Yajima muttered.

"So when do we start?" Wendy asked anxiously.

"Can we start now?" Romeo asked hopefully.

"Oy, vay," Yajima grumbled.

* * *

Returning to Yajima's place, he, Natsu, Wendy, Romeo, Happy, and Carla began working on rebuilding the old and rusty training grounds, as Yajima continued his song.

Yajima: **_I'd given up hope that someone would come along_**

With Wendy and Romeo's help, Yajima pulled out a huge chest from a stone closet and opened it.

 ** _A fella who'd ring the bell for once, not the gong_**

From the chest, Yajima took out a trophy. At first, the trophy was labeled _1st Place_ , but when he dusted it, the words were actually _11th Place._

 ** _The kind who wins trophies  
Won't settle for low fees  
At least semipro fees  
But no…_**

Natsu inhaled and exhaled a huge fire breath in an attempt to practice early. Wendy, Romeo, Happy, and Carla moved out of the way, with Yajima's hat nearly fried to bits.

 ** _I get the greenhorn_**

With Natsu, Wendy, Romeo, Happy, and Carla's help, the training grounds were cleaned up in less than two days and prepped up with newly made equipment.

 ** _I've been out to pasture, pal, my ambition gone  
Content to spend lazy days and to graze my lawn  
But you need an advisor  
Somebody who's wiser_**

Yajima instructed Wendy on how to properly breathe a gust of wind.

 ** _A good merchandiser and WHOA!_**

However, when Wendy hurled her gusty breath, it blew him away and caused him to bump into a few objects along the way, until his head was stuck on a statue.

 ** _There goes my ulcer!_**

Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo were seen doing aerobics, exercises, and workouts under Yajima's supervision.

 ** _I'm down to one last hope and I hope it's you_**

Natsu tried to flex his muscles to see how strong he was. Using a tape-measure, Yajima frowned that the salmon-haired kid's muscles did not meet the standards. He then motioned Natsu to do push-ups, with Happy counting how many.

 ** _Though, kid, you're not exactly a dream come true_**

Next, Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo walked on a tightrope while holding eggs on a spoon in their mouths.

 ** _I trained enough turkeys  
Who never came through_**

The three kids fell off, causing their eggs to land on Yajima's head. The old man steamed at his students' incompetence, frying the eggs. Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo smiled nervously at his expense.

 ** _You're my one last hope, so you'll have to do_**

For today's exercise, Natsu and his friends were learning how to rescue people in distress. Yajima instructed, "Rule #6: When rescuing people in trouble, always handle with care."

Natsu ran across a log to rescue a practice dummy tied on a stake, but the log snapped, and they both fell into the river below. Yajima, Wendy, Romeo, Happy, and Carla cringed at this.

The next morning, Romeo smiled as flames of yellow crept up his hands. This indicated that he learned how to use Rainbow Fire, a variation of Fire Magic in which the caster creates flames with a variety of colors, each with a particular effect or property. For example, the caster can produce a blue flame which is cold, a yellow flame which gives off a foul odor, or a purple flame which can stick to objects, like his father Macao's.

Yajima set up dozens of cardboard targets for Romeo to hit. He said, "Rule #95, Romeo: Concentrate."

" **Yellow Fire!** " When Romeo thrust his left and right hands, the yellow flames flung towards their intended targets like knives thrown with great accuracy. Unfortunately, the flames instead flew towards Yajima. Luckily, he missed.

"Rule #96: Aim!" Yajima reminded.

For the next exercise, Wendy swung with a rope to retrieve a practice dummy tied up on a snowy mountain top.

Yajima: **_Demigods have faced the odds  
And ended up a mockery_**

Wendy grabbed the dummy by the arm. For a moment, she succeeded, but the dummy ended up getting smashed into a mountain peak, leaving only the arm. Yajima and Carla weren't amused.

 ** _Don't believe in the stories that  
You read on all the crockery_**

Next, Natsu stood in front of a target machine operating the boards that moved randomly in separate directions.

 ** _To be a true hero, kid, is a dying art_**

Natsu spat magical fireballs from his mouth against the targets, but they missed. He sighed hopelessly, feeling like he was about to give up.

 ** _Like painting a masterpiece…_**

Unknowingly, Natsu summoned a small fireball when he waved his hand, and it reduced one target board into cinders. Yajima smiled and playfully punched Natsu's shoulder, while Wendy, Romeo, Happy, and Carla applauded. Natsu's spirits were raised.

 ** _It's a work of heart_**

On a bright sunset, Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo were seen doing more aerobics and exercises together.

 ** _It takes more than sinew  
Comes down to what's in you_**

Seven years had passed, and Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo spent their days training, pushing their limits, improving their magic, learning the importance of teamwork and quick strategy, completing various obstacle courses, and developing their abilities. Today, the three kids had grown up to be mature and strong young heroes; Natsu was seventeen years old, Wendy was twelve, and Romeo was thirteen.

Natsu's salmon hair had grown spikier, and he wore a black one-sleeved waistcoat, white knee-length trousers, and sandals. Wendy's dark blue hair had grown longer and had been tied in two ponytails, and she wore a white dress with white sleeves wrapped below her shoulders, a red bowtie, a red sash tied to her hips, white long stockings, and red petit boots. Romeo's new attire somewhat resembled Natsu's, likely out of friendship and admiration for his best friend. It consisted of a long, dark sleeveless open jacket with a light sash tied to his left hip, a yellow scarf around his neck, green shorts, and black boots.

 ** _You have to continue to grow!_**

Yajima measured Natsu's muscles once more. This time, the muscles snapped the tape-measure with so much pressure, much to Yajima's delight. "Now that's more like it!"

On the last day of training, Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo faced the most dangerous obstacle course with the highest difficulty level. It included sharks, magic traps, pendulums, unstable platforms, crushing platforms, you bet! At the end of the course, the practice dummy was tied up in a ring of fire.

 ** _I'm down to one last shot and my last high note_**

Nonetheless, Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo were determined to complete their training, no matter how dangerous the tasks may be. Yajima blew the whistle and set the timer, signaling the beginning of the course.

 ** _Before that blasted underworld gets my goat_**

Happy and Carla watched, shivering with anticipation and uncertainty; they feared the chance of their human friends getting hurt.

 ** _My dreams are on you, kids  
Go make 'em come true!_**

With their refined magic skills, amazing flexibility, and fantastic teamwork, Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo either dodged or destroyed every obstacle in their path, until they inched closer to the ring of fire.

 ** _Climb that uphill slope  
Keep pushing that envelope_**

After Natsu ate the fire surrounding the ring, he grabbed the practice dummy and landed on top of a large clearing, followed by Wendy and Romeo, where automated targets emerged from the bushes, preparing to fire arrows against the young heroes.

 ** _You're my one last hope  
And kids, it's up to you!_**

The arrows fired, heading straight towards the young group. But they came prepared.

" **Sky Dragon's Wind Barrier!** " Wendy summoned a defensive barrier of wind that protected herself, Natsu, Romeo, and the practice dummy, deflecting all of the arrows.

" **Fire Dragon's Wing Attack!** "

" **Yellow Fire: Vector Arrows!** "

Natsu unleashed a large stream of fire from his arms, burning away all of the targets at the left side, while Romeo shot his Yellow Fire technique in the form of multiple arrows, destroying the targets at the right. Yajima, Happy, and Carla were overjoyed. The three kids had passed their final test!

 ** _Yeah!_**

Natsu, Wendy, Romeo, and Happy celebrated their success with laughter and cheers, while Carla shed tears of joy.

"That was great!" Natsu laughed. "Didja see that? Didja see what I did?"

Happy replied, "Aye! You kicked butt, Natsu!"

"Thanks, Happy," Natsu grinned, brushing Happy's fur. "Thanks for rooting for us."

Carla sniffled happily, "I'm so proud of you, Wendy! Look how much you've grown!"

Wendy giggled, "I can't believe it! I've grown stronger than ever!"

"Remember the part when you melted the pendulums with your bare hands, crushed that rocky fist with just one fist, and pushed away all those sharks?" Romeo asked. "You're the most awesomest of the team!"

Happy agreed, "That's Natsu for ya."

Wendy stated, "If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have survived most of the obstacle courses. There's nothing we could've done without you."

Natsu replied, "Well, there's no way I could've done all this on my own without my teammates. Thanks, you guys. You did a great job yourselves."

"You're right! The three of us pulled up all the stops!" Romeo admitted with a chuckle.

"We make a pretty good team," Wendy added with a smile. "And you're one step closer to being a true hero. You'll reunite with your dad someday."

Happy smiled confidently, "You're gonna do awesome, like you did last time."

"Remember what your father said," Carla reminded Natsu. "The road to being a true hero is long and fraught with danger. You need faith and confidence to see it through."

"Thanks for the encouragement," Natsu admired. "Now I'm all fired up. Next stop: Olympus!"

"Whoa, take it easy, Natsu," Yajima eased. "Don't flatter yourself. We should think this through."

"But I'm ready, Yaj!" Natsu argued. "I wanna get off this island!"

"Yeah!" Romeo agreed. "Ever since we stayed here, we never get to do anything really cool! We wanna go on some awesome adventures!" He playfully fought Natsu, "Battle some monsters." Natsu then fainted in his arms, pretending to be a damsel, "Rescue some damsels." Romeo then shrugged, "Ya know, heroic stuff."

"Romeo's right, Mr. Yajima," Wendy nodded. "Maybe it's time we can show everyone what we can do." She added in determination, "We want to prove that we can make a difference."

Carla agreed, "I believe it's time for Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo to begin the real test."

Happy added, "Aye. We've been staying on that island for so long."

"Well…" Yajima wondered. He was unsure if his students were ready to take the challenge.

"Aww, c'mon, Yaj!" Natsu pouted.

"Please!" Wendy and Romeo pleaded in unison.

Yajima couldn't help but chuckle at Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo's eagerness. He replied, "Well, alright. You want a real test? Saddle up, kids— we're going to Crocus!"

" **YAHOO!** " Natsu and his friends cheered excitedly upon hearing the news.

* * *

The two Exceeds flew their companions into the cloudy sky; Natsu carrying Romeo and Yajima, and Carla carrying Wendy. During their flight, the six noticed the forests of Earth-land thinning out into shrubs, and then they were over open grasslands that rolled in wave-like hills.

Yajima wondered, "How did a flying cat manage to carry three people at once?"

"I've got paws of steel!" Happy smiled proudly.

"Oooh, paws of steel… I like your style," Yajima admired.

"So, what's in Crocus?" Natsu asked.

"That's the name of the capital of Fiore," Happy pointed out.

"Crocus is a city with a lot of problems," Yajima explained. "It's a good place for young and experienced heroes like yourselves to build up a reputation." Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo's eyes brightened with anticipation. They could tell that the troubled city needed a hero, and they could be possible candidates.

Suddenly, the gang heard a loud scream from down below. It was something unfamiliar to Natsu and the others. Perhaps…

"Sounds like your basic D.I.D.," Yajima indicated. "Damsel in Distreeeeeeeeeeeeeeee…" He never said the last word when Natsu and Wendy spurred Happy and Carla to zoom down to the place the scream came from. What could possibly go wrong?


	10. Damsel in Distress

By the time they entered the forest, Natsu and his friends traced for the source of the scream. Through the bushes, they spotted a young girl running in the river by a waterfall. She was a 17-year old girl with long blonde hair tied in two ponytails, and she wore a blue and white bra, a blue sleeveless jacket, blue sleeves wrapped below her shoulders, a black skirt with a white belt around it, black long stockings, and brown boots.

The girl was having difficulty running due to her clothes smothered in wet, but what's even worse; she was being chased by centaurs, creatures with four legs shaped as hooves and the backside of a horse. The leader of the pack was a centaur with long and spiky blonde hair wearing a yellow and dark blue skirt-like armor and a tattoo on his right shoulder.

Laughing cruelly, the centaur leader grabbed the girl's body and pulled him in his arms, the others sharing his laughter. "Goin' somewhere?" he jeered. "C'mon, Lucy! Hang out with us! I know you want me and my boys, baby!"

"Put me down, Zancrow!" Lucy demanded, trying to break free from Zancrow's grip. "Put me down or I'll—"

"Whoo! I like 'em fiery!" Zancrow admired, with his fellow centaurs laughing in agreement. "That's what I like about girls; hot, fiery, and violent."

Natsu, Wendy, Romeo, Happy, Carla, and Yajima observed the scene from the bushes, with Natsu narrowing his eyes at the situation. Those jerks held that poor girl as a hostage, who was pretty cute in his opinion. This could set the stage for the real test of a true hero.

"Hey, Natsu?" Wendy whispered. "What are those centaurs doing to that girl?"

"I don't know, but by the looks of what they're doing, they're trying to hurt her," Natsu replied sternly. "That means trouble. And when there's trouble, a hero springs into action." He added with a smirk, cracking his knuckles, "Those punks know how to get me fired up. Leave the centaurs to me."

Romeo rooted, "Go get 'em, bro!"

"Now remember, kids," Yajima reminded. "First, analyze the situation. Don't just barrel in there without thinking— AH!" He yelped when he saw Natsu already entering the river, preparing to confront Zancrow and his crew. Yajima sighed, "What I expect from the young generation. Always acting before thinking."

"Let him go," Carla suggested. "This will be his first real test. He can handle it on his own."

Happy agreed, "Aye. Natsu can handle anything."

As the centaurs kept on harassing Lucy, Natsu interrupted them with a loud shout, "Hey, you!"

That caught Lucy and the centaurs' attention; it's almost as if there was a third wheel. Zancrow was the first to speak, towering over Natsu with a glare. He spoke, "Step aside, two legs. This is centaur turf."

One of the centaurs smirked, "Sorry, punk, but you came to the wrong part of the forest."

Another centaur agreed, "And you got here just when we're lookin' for somethin' to feed the sharks."

"Ha! You don't scare me. A bunch of four-legged losers shouldn't be here prancing around the forest like little ponies," Natsu jeered.

"Say what?" Zancrow growled. The centaurs took great offense of the salmon-haired boy's insult.

"Unless you wanna suffer a beating, I suggest you put down that sweet little girl," Natsu threatened.

"I'm not a little girl! I'm like, seventeen years old!" Lucy protested. She added with a smirk, "And there ain't no way a bunch of centaurs can hold me down."

"Well, color me impressed," Natsu admired, crossing his arms. "For a damsel in distress, you've got some spunk."

"You think just because I'm a damsel in distress, I can't get outta this mess?" Lucy scoffed. "I can handle them on my own. Have a nice day."

"Can't you realize the situation you're in?" Natsu stated. "There's all of them and only one of you—"

"Eat black flames, punk!" Zancrow yelled. Before Natsu could finish, the centaur punched him with a fist pulsing with black flames, sending him flying backwards and onto the water. Wendy, Romeo, Happy, Carla, and Yajima cringed at this.

"That's gotta hurt!" Romeo noted.

"He can use flames like Natsu!" Happy pointed out.

"What are you doing, you fool?!" Yajima exclaimed.

"Get up! Use your magic!" Carla called.

"Right, right, got it," Natsu recovered. "Rule #15: a hero's only as good as his magic—"

Too late! Zancrow and the centaurs pounced and ambushed Natsu, and proceeded to continuously beat him up to a bloody pulp. Natsu tried his best to escape, but due to his recklessness, he ended up being the centaurs' punching bag for less than a minute. At the end of the brawl, Zancrow punched Natsu with another black flaming fist, sending him crashing to a rock and breaking it on impact.

"Alright, that's it!" Romeo frowned. "Let's kick some centaur butt!"

"We're coming, Natsu!" Wendy cried.

"Help is on the way!" Happy added.

However, Carla stopped the three before they could enter the river, blocking them with her wings. She said, "Stand back. Don't interfere. This is his fight."

"Your cat friend is right, Wendy," Yajima said. "I know you're eager to help, but he has to do it on his own."

"It's not fair!" Wendy argued. ""We can't leave him behind!"

Romeo agreed, "He needs us!"

Happy turned to Natsu, who was bruised and dazed from the beating he endured from the centaurs. He shouted, "Come on, Natsu! Concentrate! Use your head!"

"My head…?" Natsu paused, and his eyebrows furrowed. After taking a lot of thought to what his Exceed partner told him, he beamed with an idea. With a loud scream, he ran towards Zancrow at breakneck speed, transforming his head into a living weapon of fire.

" **Fire Dragon's Sword Horn!** " Natsu swiftly struck Zancrow's chest, sending him flying into the waterfall. Lucy was released from the centaur's grip and fell into the water rather ungracefully. The rest of the centaurs were shocked and alarmed of Natsu's incredible feat.

"Alright!" Romeo cheered. "You rock!"

"Way to go, Natsu!" Wendy smiled happily.

"Impressive," Carla nodded.

"Well, it's not exactly what I had in mind, like, _use your head_ … but it's pretty cool," Happy confirmed.

Lucy sat up with her hair drenched and her clothes soaked, spitting water from her mouth. Realizing that hitting Zancrow unexpectedly caused Lucy to fall down, Natsu picked her up and chuckled sheepishly, "Oops. Sorry, miss. That… that was pretty dumb, I know." He then placed her on top of a rock.

"Ya think?" Lucy asked sarcastically, her face drooped with water.

"That fire brat's layin' a hurt on the boss!" one of the centaurs yelled.

"I'm fine, you fools!" Zancrow snapped, recovering from Natsu's attack. He pointed at the salmon-haired boy, "He'll pay for that! Get 'em, boys!"

With that, he and the other centaurs charged with a thunderous yell. Natsu quickly took notice.

"'Scuse me," he smiled widely at Lucy. Approaching three centaurs, his arms and legs pulsed with fire. " **Fire Dragon's Iron Fist! Fire Dragon's Claw! Fire Dragon's Flame Elbow!** " With three spells executed at once, the three centaurs were knocked out. However, more of them just kept coming. Natsu turned to Wendy and Romeo, "Wendy! Romeo! You take out the horse freaks! I'll handle the boss!"

"Finally! Some action!" Romeo smirked, emerging from the bushes and entering the fray.

"Let's do it!" Wendy followed suit.

" **GET 'EM!** " Zancrow bellowed, and the rest of the centaurs followed his command.

"Spread out!" Natsu called out, and he, Wendy, and Romeo split up; Wendy to fight half of the centaur pack on the left, Romeo against the other half on the right, and Natsu fighting Zancrow at the middle.

" **Sky Dragon's Roar! Sky Dragon's Wing Attack! Sky Dragon's Crushing Fang!** " Utilizing different Sky Dragon Slayer Magic spells, Wendy decimated the centaurs with large gusts of wind.

" **Purple Fire: Whip! Yellow Fire: Fireball! Blue Fire: Refrigerator!** " With various types of Rainbow Fire, Romeo devastated his enemies with multicolored fire shaped into objects.

" **Fire Dragon's Iron Fist! Claw! Wing Attack! Sword Horn! Flame Elbow!** " Meanwhile, Natsu and Zancrow were fighting each other. The Fire Dragon Slayer gained the upper hand when he smashed the centaur leader with multiple techniques. Next, Natsu jumped on Zancrow's back, pounded his head multiple times with burning punches, and flipped him over his shoulder.

"Nice work, kids!" Yajima admired. "Excellent!"

Carla smiled, "Your training has finally paid off."

Giving an amused look at Natsu, Lucy dried her clothes and blonde hair. She asked, "Is this guy here for real?"

Happy nodded, "That's Natsu for ya. He's the best hero Yajima's got."

Carla added, "And don't forget Wendy and Romeo. When they and Natsu work together as a team, it was merely a walk in the park."

"They're three of a kind," Yajima confirmed proudly. He then noticed Lucy and remarked at how beautiful she was. Licking his hand and smoothing back his bald hair, he sat on her lap with a seductive smile. "And by the way, sweet cheeks, I'm one of a kind, too." He attempted to make kissy faces.

"Ugh," Lucy groaned, pushing Yajima off her lap. He fell into the water, and when he surfaced, he spat a fish out of his mouth and caught it in his hand.

Meanwhile, Natsu rode on Zancrow's backside like riding a wild horse. At the end of the rodeo, Natsu grabbed a branch and dragged the centaur up and over the branch with his legs, before crashing him into the stump underneath.

" **YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT, YOU—** " Zancrow roared.

" **Crimson Lotus: Fire Dragon Fists!** " Natsu ignited his fists and unleashed a 1,000-hit fire punch technique that inflicted multiple hits on Zancrow's body, the last blow smashing his chin and flinging him miles into the air. Wendy, Romeo, Happy, and Carla looked up in approval. Finally, Zancrow fell back down, followed by his horseshoes, which hit him on the head, forming a lump, the last horseshoe staying around it. He fell into the river, bruised, scorched, and unconscious.

Natsu pounded his chest proudly, "Serves you right for horsing around somebody's business!"

"Uh-oh! He's taken out the boss! We gotta get outta here!" Terrified of Natsu's power, the rest of the centaurs screamed and ran away from the river, leaving a defeated Zancrow behind.

Natsu climbed triumphantly out of the water with Wendy, Romeo, Happy, and Carla admiring their friend's progress. Yajima, on the other hand, was displeased following this turn of events, especially with Lucy turning him down harshly.

"How was that, guys?" Natsu asked Wendy and Romeo.

"We kicked a lot of serious butt!" Romeo raised his thumb.

"We sure showed those jerks what happens when you mess with the three of us!" Wendy nodded.

"Hold it, kids," Yajima interrupted. He turned to Natsu with a frown, "Natsu, you've become too reckless during a fight! You can get away with mistakes like that back when you were in the minor decathlons, but this is the big leagues."

"At least I beat him, didn't I?" Natsu shrugged.

Yajima scolded, "The next time you get into a fight, don't let your guard down because of a big pair of goo-goo eyes! You have to stay focused, and you…"

The old man noticed that Natsu wasn't paying attention to him. The Fire Dragon Slayer went over to Lucy, who was still drying her hair. Even Romeo was annoyed when Natsu ignored giving him a hi-five. Both Yajima and Romeo's faces turned red, and they crossed their arms with a grunt.

"Ah, look at that," Happy admired. "Natsu's attracted to the girl she just saved."

Wendy asked, "Is he gonna ask her name?"

Carla assumed, "Possibly. I can't say if this girl came here by choice or chance."

Yajima retorted, "Well, if you ask me, she was the reason why Natsu didn't focus."

Romeo agreed, "Yeah. And he ignored giving me a hi-five. Just when things started to look good…"

Natsu stood behind Lucy. He cleared his throat, "Are you, uh, alright, Miss, uh…"

"Lucy Heartfilia," the girl introduced herself, splashing her wet hair against Natsu's face. "My friends call me Lucy, or at least they would if I had any friends." She smiled, wringing out her clothes from the remaining wet, "So, did they give you a name that goes with all those burning hands?"

Natsu chuckled slyly, "Uh, I'm, uh, um…"

"Are you always this articulate?" Lucy giggled, amused by Natsu's gullible behavior.

Natsu blushed in embarrassment, "M-My name is Natsu. Natsu Dragneel. I'm a Dragon Slayer."

Lucy sat on a nearby tree root. She said, "Natsu, huh? I like that name. And you're a Dragon Slayer… You practice a different style of Lost Magic."

Natsu nodded, "That's right."

"Excuse me, Natsu? Can I talk to you, please?" Romeo waved a hand in front of Natsu's face to get his attention, but he pushed his arm down. "Hey!"

Natsu continued, "So, uh, how'd you get mixed up with those—"

"Bozos with hooves?" Lucy asked, giving a phony smile. "Well, you know how men are. They think 'no' means 'yes' and 'get lost' means 'take me, I'm yours.' Zancrow's the worst of them all." Natsu was confused by that statement. Wendy, Romeo, Happy, and Carla just shrugged, as if they don't know. "Oh, well. I bet Mr. Cranky Pants can explain it better than I can. Elders are full of wisdom and experience," Lucy gestured to Yajima.

"Who you callin' Mr. Cranky Pants, toots?" Yajima snapped.

"Well, thanks for everything, Natsu," Lucy smiled slyly, giving a salute. "It's been a real slice."

Natsu turned to Happy, "Say, Happy, any chance that you could lift four people at once with your paws of steel?"

"I can lift anyone in any weight," Happy smiled. "Well, except for at least six or seven people…"

Natsu turned to Lucy, "Hey, Lucy, can we give you a ride?"

"No, she can't come," Romeo refused. He was still upset at Natsu for paying less attention to his best friend.

"What?" Natsu turned to Romeo with an angry look.

"She can't come," Romeo repeated.

"Why not?!" Natsu demanded.

"She'll just get in the way," Romeo replied.

"Aw, come on! She's sounds nice!" Natsu objected.

"I don't care. She's just a damsel in distress," Romeo shook his head.

"Who are you to judge?!" Natsu argued.

"Damsels are just damsels, Natsu," Yajima stated. "Whenever a hero rescues a damsel, they just leave her behind after receiving a complement, and then walk away. When you fell for Blondie over there…" he pointed a thumb at Lucy, "…you lost your focus, and that's why you became a punching bag for those centaurs. It's kinda embarrassing."

"To have been tamed by a vixen like Lucy…" Romeo frowned. "She's gonna put a stake right through the heart of your self-esteem! Heroes need to stay focused on the fight. If you don't focus, it'll be a disgrace!"

Lucy noticed Yajima and Romeo's attitude towards her, "Uh, I don't think your little boy and your grandpa likes me very much."

"I'm not a little boy!" Romeo protested. "I'm a real wizard! You saw me use magic against those centaurs!"

Yajima added, "And I'm not just a grandpa, lady. I'm a trainer of heroes."

Lucy chuckled, "Sorry, you two. I didn't mean it. No offense."

Yajima said Romeo said sarcastically in unison, "None taken."

Natsu grinned, "Romeo and Yaj aren't so bad once you get used to them. They'll warm up to you somehow. And they'd be more than happy to…"

He was interrupted when an acorn hit his head. He turned to Romeo, who whistled innocently, while Yajima simply rolled his eyes.

"I'll be alright," Lucy assured. "I'm a big, tough girl. I can tie my own shoes and everything." Turning her back from Natsu, she waved, "Bye-bye, Dragon Slayer." She departed from the group in a way that sent Natsu into a trance, mesmerized by her charms and beauty.

"Bye," Natsu waved, brimming with infatuation.

" _He loves her…_ " Happy spoke in a romantic tone, grinning to himself.

"Wow… She's something, isn't she?" Natsu asked his friends.

Wendy commented, "I think she's pretty nice. And she's cute, too."

Happy agreed charmingly, "Oh, yeah. _Pretty_ cute. As cute as Wendy."

"I'll say," Carla smiled. "The road to being a true hero is paved with many obstacles and endless possibilities, especially new friends."

"Oh, yeah. She's really something," Romeo said sarcastically, before he yelled, "A real **PAIN IN THE BUTT!** " He attempted to wake Natsu out of his trance, even knocking on his head, "Hello! Earth to Nat! Come in, Nat! Come in, Nat!"

"Quiet dawdling around, Natsu!" Yajima scolded. "We've got work to do. Crocus is still waiting."

Natsu chuckled admittedly, "Yeah, yeah. I know. Why would I forget? Crocus, here we come!"

"Aye, sir!" Happy cried, and he and Carla scooped Natsu, Wendy, Romeo, and Yajima up into the air, heading for Crocus without any delays. With a smile, Lucy saw the young heroes disappear into the clouds, and they could no longer be seen against the white. But seconds later, her smile faded, and she was unable to shake the feeling that something was amiss.

There was another matter that needed her attention.

* * *

Lucy walked into the deepest area of the forest, which was dark and desolate. The black, crooked trees had not grown much over the years, and not a single piece of green had taken root from the ground. There were no towering plants, no looming grasses, and no shade of light. The only signs of life Lucy encountered were a bunny and a gopher; the creatures looked up at the blonde-haired girl with sparkling eyes.

"Awww, how cute," Lucy adored, before her face turned to a frown. "A couple of rodents looking for Ryuzetsu Land."

"Who you callin' a rodent, sister?!" the bunny snapped at Lucy in a familiar voice. "I'm a bunny!" He showed the fluffy tail attached to his backside to state his point.

"And I'm his gopher!" the gopher added, speaking in another familiar voice.

The two creatures' bodies inflated and popped like balloons, revealing their true selves: none other than Kain Hikaru and Rustyrose. "Ta-da!" they shouted joyfully in unison.

"Ugh. I thought I smelled a rat," Lucy shook her head in disgust.

"Hello, Lucy…"

A familiar deep voice resonated with the darkness, festering Lucy's frown. "Speak of the devil..."

Sure enough, the voice belonged to Mard Geer Tartaros, who emerged from a withered tree with an unimpressed look. He spoke, pulling Lucy over, "Lucy, my little yellow flower, my little canary, my little… _Lucifer._ What exactly happened here? I thought you were supposed to persuade Zancrow and his army of centaurs to join my team for the uprising." From a flick of black powder, he materialized a small chessboard packed with chess pieces representing a wide variety of monsters and demons. One of them was Zancrow, the centaur that, unknown to the Lord of the Dead, Natsu defeated. "And here I am, kind of centaur-less."

"I gave it my best shot, but he made me an offer I had to refuse," Lucy explained bitterly, knocking Zancrow's chess piece off the board with her fingers.

"Oh, a brave girl, are you?" Mard smirked. "I was going to subtract two years from your sentence, but because of your failure, I'm going to add _four_. Is that alright with you? Give that your best shot." With a clasp of his hand, the chessboard disappeared into thin air.

"Look, I tried my best, but it wasn't my fault!" Lucy snapped. "It was this Dragon Slayer, Natsu Dragneel."

Mard's body froze, and his mind spun to a standstill. His face contorted with shock and anger. No… it can't be… How could _he_ be still alive?!

"Natsu Dragneel?" Kain scratched his head in confusion. "Why does that name ring a bell?"

"I don't know. Maybe we owe him something?" Rustyrose wondered.

"What was that name…" Mard asked, overhearing Lucy's situation. His voice turned dark, and his cool demeanor slowly began to break. "…again?"

"Natsu Dragneel," Lucy repeated. Upon hearing that name, the Lord of the Dead flared with his dark aura, boiling with rage, his breaths heaving with furious pants. "He comes on with this big innocent farm boy routine, but I could see through that in a minute."

"Wait a minute," Kain paused, and he and Rustyrose began to shake with fear and nervousness. "Wasn't Natsu the name of that kid we were supposed to..."

It was then that the two realized that Mard was staring at them with cold, dark, emotionless eyes.

" **OH, MY GODS!** " they exclaimed horrifyingly.

Screaming in terror, Kain and Rustyrose attempted to make a run for it. Unfortunately, Mard stretched his arms, which transformed into large thorns that grabbed the two cowardly minions by the necks and dragged them towards him.

"So you took care of him, huh?" Mard gritted his teeth, with Kain and Rustyrose futilely trying to escape their boss's wrath. Mard's arms transformed back to normal, but his hands were still wrapped around Kain and Rustyrose's necks. "'Dead as a doornail.' Weren't those your **EXACT** words?" On 'exact,' his dark aura nearly erupted.

"This might've been a different Natsu!" Kain trembled.

"Yes, I mean, Natsu is a…" Rustyrose's next words came out strangled when Mard tightened his hold. "...very popular name nowadays."

"Remember, like, a few years ago, every other boy was named Jason, and the girls were all named Brittany?" Kain shivered.

"I'm about…" Mard growled, increasing his pressure on Kain and Rustyrose's necks. "…to rearrange the cosmos…" He then furiously threw his minions down to the ground, "…and the one **SCHMIEL WHO CAN LOUSE IT UP…** " He added in a loud, murderous roar, "… **IS WALTZING AROUND IN THE WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODS!** "

Accompanied by his absolute rage, his dark aura expanded into a large explosion, destroying all of the trees and everything else around him. Lucy ducked to avoid the flames that destroyed a tree behind her. Kain and Rustyrose, on the other hand, were fried to bits. Mard just stood there, his body steaming with smoke, before he slowly calmed down with quick pants.

"Wait…" Kain coughed, slowly standing up after barely surviving Mard's rage. "Wait, big guy! We can still cut in on his waltzing."

"That's right!" Rustyrose agreed, as he followed suit. "At least we made him mortal. We can still kill him when the time is right."

"Yeah," Kain nodded. "That's a good thing. Isn't it?"

Mard paused to take time to his thoughts. For once, his idiotic minions were right. Natsu wasn't a god anymore, but considering he still had powers, he would someday pose a threat to his plans. The Lord of the Dead would have to ensure that his nephew was truly dead before the uprising could begin.

"Fortunately for the three of you, we still have enough time to correct this rather egregious oversight," Mard said, his arms transformed into thorns again as he dragged Kain, Rustyrose, and Lucy beside him, with blonde-haired girl giving a disgusted look. He added with a sinister grin, "And this time, no foul ups."

The group melded together into a dark cloud which disappeared. Time to finish off Natsu for good this time...


	11. The City of Crocus

Happy and Carla plummeted Natsu, Wendy, Romeo, and Yajima through the air, their bodies corkscrewing as they descended into Crocus, the capital city of Fiore. From above, the daily clockwork was a marvel to anyone who took it upon themselves to witness it. It was an incredible sight for Natsu and his friends to behold; paved roads embellished the atmosphere, countless houses and buildings stood proudly, and the citizens of thousands walked, jogged, and drove to their everyday lives. Though Crocus seemed peaceful and prosperous at first glance, it had its fair share of troubles; crimes, natural disasters, and the like.

"Whoa!" Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo marveled in unison.

Romeo whistled, "Check out the view. Now that's a real city. Dad never took me to a place like this before."

Natsu confirmed, "This must be the place."

Yajima nodded, "Yes, kids. Let me be the first to welcome you all to Crocus, the capital of the Kingdom of Fiore. The Magical Capital of the World and Home to the Rich and Enshrined. The majesty, the beauty, the lights, the sights, the sounds…"

"Really?" Wendy asked. "All in one place?"

Yajima replied, "Precisely."

Natsu looked at the sights of the city with wide eyes, "Wait, you mean this is Crocus? The same place where the Grand Magic Games were held?"

Yajima nodded, "The very same."

Romeo exclaimed, "Oh, man! This is so awesome! If my Dad was here, he'd give me the grand tour!" He then paused, his heart filled with concern, "Wherever he is…"

Wendy smiled, "I wish Mom and Dad were here to see this. And by Mom and Dad, I mean, Makarov and Porlyusica."

"Who's Makarov and Porlyusica?" Yajima asked.

"They're our adoptive parents," Natsu explained. "They found us when we were babies."

Yajima confirmed, "Oh, I see. The ex-god and the demigoddess abandoned by accident."

Natsu and Wendy nodded in unison, "Uh-huh."

"Still, is this a great place or what?" Happy remarked. "I've only looked at the whole city from the clouds, but in person, I never knew it would be like this."

"Don't be fooled by its richness and beauty, blue cat," Yajima advised. "Within the walls of this great city lay an unseen reign of terror, disaster, crime, and villainy. One city equals a million troubles. If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere."

Natsu, Wendy, Romeo, Yajima, Happy, and Carla landed safely at the town square. The three young wizards looked around; the streets were bustling with endless vehicles, either operated by a horse, a man, or a wizard's SC-Plug.

"Boy, all this flying is making me hungry," Romeo said, rubbing his rumbling stomach. "Let's go to a hotdog stand."

Wendy insisted cheerfully, "Or we can go to Ryuzetsu Land! It's Fiore's biggest amusement park, and it can only be found on Crocus! We can ride the Wyvern-Go-Round, take the Rocket Coaster…"

Happy added, "…and play at Millianna's Arcade! Lots and lots and lots of games galore! My favorite is the Fish Crane Machine, where we get one free fish using the crane!" Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo chattered in agreement, excited of the thought of exploring the sights and sounds of the city.

"This is not the time for fun and games," Carla reminded, spearing their hopes. "We've got work to do."

"But maybe we can have some fun when we're done?" Wendy asked hopefully. "There are other things we can do besides hero stuff."

"We'll see," Carla replied. "For now, you must keep your head up, Wendy."

"Right," Wendy responded to Carla's advice.

"Stick with me, kids. And no lollygagging. This city is a very dangerous place," Yajima instructed. He yelped when the carriage of a horse sped towards him, nearly hitting the group. "Hey! Watch where you're goin', road hog!"

"Hey, I'm drivin' here!" Hughes, the carriage's coach, snapped at the pedestrians.

Natsu rubbed his head, "And here I thought I could run fast holding a cart."

Happy wondered, "New record?"

"See what I mean?" Yajima pointed out. "Almost every citizen in Crocus is a bunch of wackos."

Along the way, the group encountered a cloaked person named Zoldeo standing in front of them. He whispered, "Psst. Hey, kids…"

"WHOA, WHOA, WHOA!" Yajima covered Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo's eyes, while Happy and Carla cringed in shock. "Shield your eyes! This isn't for children to see!"

"You wanna buy a sundial?" Zoldeo asked with a smirk. He was actually a black market salesman aiming to sell sundials, watches with the ability to turn back a small pocket of time at will. "It's the modern day turn of the century!"

"Let's get one, Carla!" Happy cried excitedly. "I want one! I bet with a sundial, I bet we can go back in time to save Natsu before he turned mortal!"

"Sundials only turn back a slightly earlier point in time, approximately sixty minutes or less," Carla pointed out. "It would take extensive amounts of magic to control time, even with Lost Magic."

"Oh, okay," Happy nodded, before he got excited again. "But I wanna buy it!"

"This is no time for fooling around!" Carla snapped.

"Yaj, can we buy one?" Happy begged Yajima. "Please? Please? Please?"

"Sorry, no one is interested," Yajima refused, dragging Natsu, Wendy, Romeo, Happy, and Carla away from Zoldeo. "Trust me, you do NOT want to buy any souvenirs! Except for food, as long as it's not poison." He added with a shudder, "Buying a sundial's a nightmare."

Happy pouted, "Ah, what so wrong about a sundial, Yajima? They look fine to me."

"Oh, you have no idea, cat. Sundials are time-travelling watches powered by an incomplete version of the Arc of Time. Time-travelling could create serious consequences," Yajima explained. "The last time I bought and used one, it nearly ruined my friendship with Gildarts and Mac—"

"The end is coming!" a citizen named Moka stood in front of the group, acting nuts. "The curse of the moon has brought the apocalypse upon us! Can you feel it?"

"Yes, yes, thank you for the info. We'll think about it for a while," Yajima confirmed, leading away the others. "Just stare at the sidewalk. Don't make any eye contact with strangers."

"Don't talk to strangers? Why?" Happy asked.

"Like I said, the people here are nuts," Yajima replied. "They're in such a wretched state because they live in a city filled with a lot of turmoil than you can shake a stick at. Luckily, Natsu, Wendy, Romeo are going to be just what the doctor ordered."

"He's right," Carla nodded. "We'll be safe as long as we stick together. We must limit our interactions with other people for as long as possible."

"Hold up a sec," Yajima said, interrupting Carla as he looked around. "Where'd the kids go?"

Realizing that the three young wizards weren't following him anymore, Yajima doubled back to look for them and panicked when he saw Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo about to approach a large building somewhat resembling a castle in appearance, and a flag adorned with the symbol of a fairy with a tail was attached to the top tower. Quick as a flash, Yajima dashed in front of the three to block their path.

"Oh, hey, Yaj. Sorry we wandered off, but we're just wondering… what's that tower standing over there?" Natsu asked curiously, pointing to the building.

"Nothing!" Yajima cried, holding his arms out. "There's nothing interesting at all in the Fairy Tail Guildhall. Dusty, drafty, dull, very boring."

"Oh, so that's the Fairy Tail Guildhall," Natsu smiled at this revelation.

"The place where Mr. Yajima's last student used to be the guild's master," Wendy stated.

"It used to be his home, until he died," Romeo added.

Yajima covered his mouth in embarrassment, "Me and my big mouth."

"You know, it wouldn't hurt if we'd just take a good look inside," Natsu stared at the guildhall.

"Good idea," Wendy agreed.

"Let's go in," Romeo said.

"No!" Yajima panicked, the horrible memories of his hero training days starting to kick in. "I'm not going in there!"

"Why not?" Romeo asked.

"You remember the story I told you?" Yajima reminded. "The day Gildarts died, they blamed me for leading him to his death!" He added fearfully, "If they ever saw me in their presence again, they'll kill me!" He mentioned, "Come on, kids, let's go someplace else…"

Natsu laughed, "Ah, what's the matter, Yaj? You're afraid to go in there just because you're too old?"

"I may be old, but yes, I _am_ scared! And I have every right to be!" Yajima countered with a glare. "Do I look like a courageous old man just because I'm afraid of a guild that hates me? Is that the kind of thing the young generation has become so quick to assume in this day and age?"

Carla, with her paws crossed, replied, "Are people so quick to believe their first judgment based on idle things they've heard and initial impressions? Sadly, yes. I should know; there are a lot of people that are like that."

Yajima's glare receded, "They are?"

Natsu spoke, "As someone who's worked so hard on being a trainer of heroes, I know what you mean. People don't always appreciate our talents. Some people were afraid of us, some reacted in a bad way, and I'm pretty sure some people said things about us. We kept going, of course, but I still know how heartbreaking it is to see people react that way instead of looking past the surface."

Happy added, "For example, when Natsu was found by Makarov and Porlyusica, everybody called him a freak because his magic was out of control."

Yajima's expression turned sad. He murmured, "I… I had no idea… You're called a freak by the locals because you're a god turned mortal?"

Natsu shrugged, "It's all in the past. The best thing we had to do is move on. We can still do things for the better. It's something Gramps would want." He added with a smile, "And who knows? Fairy Tail will find it in their hearts to forgive you, too. It's probably been a very long time; maybe they've forgotten all the anger when Gildarts died."

Wendy suggested with a smile, "Come on, Mr. Yajima. Join us. We'll go inside the guildhall together. Fairy Tail will forgive you. They'll be your friends again."

"I..." Yajima's eyes shifted down, looking at the ground as he considered Wendy's words. "I don't know, I…"

Wendy continued, "Wouldn't you do anything just to spend one more day with Fairy Tail? Gildarts was your student and your friend, so the members of Fairy Tail are your friends, top. This is what it's all about, to forgive, move on, and make things better. And Mr. Yajima, you're not alone; you've got your students to help you." She gestured to Natsu, Romeo, Happy, and Carla, who nodded in agreement.

"C'mon, Yaj!" Natsu urged. "You said you wanted to train the greatest hero their ever was so that people would say, 'That's Yaj's boy', right? Do you really want to just give up on your old friends and retreat into a statue head for the rest of your life, hiding away from the world? That sounds like running away to me. The way you ran away from your job…"

Yajima shuddered, Natsu and Wendy's words resonating strongly within him. A moment later, his face sported a brave expression. "No!" he declared. "I don't want to give up. I want to see my old friends again. Have fun the way we used to." He turned to the others, "You're right, kids. They _will_ find it in their hearts to forgive me. I'll go!" With a confident beam, he approached the guildhall's doors. "I'll march right through the doors, and I'm gonna—"

He grasped the doors' handles and pulled, but his words were cut short by the time he and the others entered.

* * *

Yajima paused when the members of the Fairy Tail Guild stared at him with odd eyes. Some sat on their benches and tables with their food and drinks, while others stood still. Yajima sweated nervously. A silent fear filled his heart, and he quailed ever so slightly. He was anxious and afraid of the guild's reaction. Will they lash out? Or welcome him back with open arms?

Every member seemed to have recalled a memory of Yajima. The day he took Gildarts as his disciple, the day that Fairy Tail was the prominent guild in Fiore, the day Gildarts sacrificed his life in a tragic accident, and the resentment towards Yajima…

However, their eyes didn't show any sign of resentment at all. Their eyes widened with joy. They were smiling. This could only mean one thing…

" **YAJIMA!** " one by one, the guildmates darted from their spots and rushed towards Yajima, greeting him with shouts of joy and open arms.

"W-W-W-What?!" Yajima was overwhelmed by hugs, kisses, and patting. "What's going on? What happened?"

"I don't believe it! It's you, Master Yajima!"

"Man, we missed you big time."

"We never knew you would visit us."

"Welcome back, Master Yajima!"

Yajima was overwhelmed with emotions. He was fearful that the guild would rage against him for Gildarts's death, the way they used to, but instead, he was met with a warm, positive welcome. From the side, Natsu, Wendy, Romeo, Happy, and Carla watched happily as the old trainer of heroes finally reunited with Fairy Tail.

They were so many things they wanted to talk about.

 **One hour later…**

Natsu, Wendy, Romeo, Yajima, Happy, Carla, and some of the most prominent members of Fairy Tail situated together in a large table to discuss the recent chain of events from the past to today; memories of joy, grief, bliss, and laughter, how Gildarts died, how the anger against Yajima faded away, and what the guild had been reduced to.

"…and that's what happened," narrated Erza Scarlet, a 19-year old crimson-haired woman in armor, and one of the guild's S-Class Wizards. "Master Gildarts threw his own body to defend Master Yajima from the snake's venomous fangs."

Romeo asked, "What kind of snake?"

"Ophiuchus, the Snake Charmer," Yajima explained. "She's a gigantic demon snake born from the depths of the Underworld. Her power is so legendary that it exceeds the might of an entire nation's army, and rivals that of a god. Thousands of demigods faced Ophiuchus, and one by one, they fell."

Wendy gasped, "How horrible... Why would Gildarts risk his life to fight that snake?"

"It was his choice; he would do anything to protect the guild, the only family he ever had," Yajima folded his arms, his expression turning solemn. "Still, it doesn't change the fact that my star pupil— the guild's beloved master— died because of me. In the end, I guess you could say I did send Gildarts to his death. His daughter, Cana, took her father's death the hardest, and she retired from the guild out of grief."

"It wasn't your fault, sir," Erza assured with a smile. "You stood up for Master Gildarts when he tried to protect our guild from the giant snake. It took us a few years to realize that we were wrong about you. We realized that anger and vengeance isn't the answer. The best thing to do is to put the past behind us and move on. That is something our master would want." She placed a gentle hand on Yajima's shoulder, "We're very grateful for what you've done for him. For us. For all of Fairy Tail."

Yajima chuckled with a blush, "Oh, it was nothing, Erza. Really."

Natsu smiled proudly, inching an elbow to Yajima's arm, "Ha! We told you it would work!"

"That's because you taught me how to be brave," Yajima smiled back. "Now you know the full story of what happened to the guild after that."

"It was tragic," mused Mirajane Strauss, Fairy Tail's administrator. "Our guild suffered horribly after our master's death. We lost a lot of members, a lot of funds…"

"…and we're bullied by the Twilight Ogre Guild," Mirajane's younger brother, Elfman, crossed his arms. "Every day, Twilight Ogre gets to humiliate and bully us in front of the whole city. And it's NOT manly."

"Some things just got worse," added Lisanna, Mirajane's younger sister. "We lost a lot of food, a lot of water, and a lot of valuables in the Great Crocus Fire."

"On the plus side, we still had our reserves in the storage room," said an Ice-Make Wizard named Gray Fullbuster.

"Remind me again, my beloved Gray:" Juvia Locksar asked, staring at Gray with hearts glowing in her eyes. "Were the fires before or after the earthquake?"

Gray shrugged, "How should I know? And don't stare at me like that, Juvia. It's creepy."

Juvia squealed, "Oh, my goodness! Was it something I said?"

"All I remember is that the fires came after the earthquake, but before the flood," Levy McGarden replied.

"Don't even get me started on the economy," Wakaba Mine frowned. "Every day, whenever we finish a job request, they only give us a single penny!"

Alzack Connell sighed, "Crocus has certainly gone downhill in a hurry. Same goes for our guild since Gildarts died."

"Tell me about it, darlin'," Alzack's wife Bisca agreed, holding their daughter Asuka. "It seems every time someone turns around, there's some new monster like Ophiuchus wreaking havoc and—"

"The last thing we need is a plague or something worse," Warren Rocko noted. "What could go wrong now?"

Just then, a frog jumped on top of the table and croaked, scaring everyone gathered there. Except for Natsu, Erza, Yajima, and Carla, that is.

"Alright, that's it!" Elfman snapped. "We're telling the Second Master that we're moving to Clover Town! I heard it's a safe, manly place to settle in."

Lisanna agreed, "He's right. We can't take it anymore."

Max Alors added, "Things will get even worse if we don't move elsewhere. No city's worth all this trouble!" The rest of the Fairy Tail members chattered in agreement.

"Hey, guys?" Natsu caught the attention of all Fairy Tail guildmates present before they could leave. "Look, I get what your problems are. It seems to me that what you guys need is a hero."

Of course, the guildmates just stared at Natsu with odd looks. They were perplexed that Natsu claimed to be a hero. Gray was the first to speak, "Yeah. And who are you?"

"I'm Natsu Dragneel. I'm a Dragon Slayer," he introduced himself, standing up from the table. He then posed proudly, "And I happen to be... _a hero._ "

"A Dragon Slayer? How interesting," Erza grinned at Natsu. "Dragons Slayers are wizards practicing magic comparable to that of the most destructive dragons, magic inherited from the gods themselves." He darted from her seat and shook Natsu's hand. "It's an honor to meet someone of your stature, Natsu. I'm Erza."

Natsu chuckled, "Yeah. Nice to meet you, too."

Wendy introduced, "My name is Wendy Marvell. I'm a Dragon Slayer, just like Natsu."

Romeo added, "And I'm Romeo Conbolt. I use Rainbow Fire, one of the Advanced Magics. I'm a friend of Natsu and Wendy."

"Conbolt?" Erza's eyes widened upon hearing Romeo's surname. "Did you just say Conbolt?"

"Yeah, that's my last name," Romeo nodded.

"Hmm…" Erza rubbed her chin. "Surely, the name _Conbolt_ sounds familiar…"

Before anything else could be said, the rest of the guildmates burst into laughter, much to Natsu and Erza's chagrin. They found the idea of Natsu being a Dragon Slayer to be quite ridiculous. Some guildmates like Erza, Levy, Lisanna, Mirajane, and the Connells didn't laugh. They didn't find Natsu's claim to be funny at all. He might be telling the truth.

Gray chuckled, "Oh, is that so? You're a Dragon Slayer slash hero?"

"Like, a manly hero?" Elfman joked. "He's like a hiker from Mt. Hakobe!" The perfect situation for jokes was what caused Gray and Elfman's group to laugh in such an excessive amount.

"Tell me something, Mr. High and Mighty Dragon," Elfman said. "Have you ever saved a town before?"

"Well, I did saved a girl from a bunch of centaurs," Natsu answered.

"Have you ever reversed a natural disaster using your fancy dragon powers?" Gray raised an eyebrow.

"Well, to be honest..." Natsu was not sure how to answer that.

"Oh, listen to this," Gray scoffed. "He's just another rookie for Fairy Academy. This we need…"

"That's a laugh," Elfman chuckled as he, Gray, and their fellow guildmates proceeded to leave the guildhall. Most members of Fairy Tail weren't taking Natsu seriously. Yajima was embittered by their insults. Determination to prove them wrong about their viewpoints of Natsu built up within him.

"Don't you brats get it?!" Yajima shouted angrily at Gray and Elfman's group, causing them to turn back. He motioned to Natsu, "Natsu Dragneel is my new disciple! He's the successor of my last student and your former guild master. He's a Dragon Slayer, the son of Igneel."

"Whoa! Are you serious?" Levy exclaimed. "Natsu's the son of Igneel? The God of Fire and king of Olympus?"

"That's right," Natsu nodded. "I'm Igneel's son. And it's proof that I'm a real Dragon Slayer."

"Amazing!" Levy remarked.

"I heard only gods can teach Lost Magic," Mirajane stated.

"You can control fire?" Alzack asked.

"Give us some more juice! Our girl Asuka's itchin' to hear your stories!" Bisca said eagerly.

"Please, Natsu. Tell us how you inherited your Dragon Slayer Magic," Erza requested.

"It's a very long story…" Natsu began.

 **Another hour of storytelling later…**

"…to go back home to Mount Olympus, I need to be a true hero," Natsu finished. "And Yaj, Wendy, Romeo, and Happy are here to support me."

Erza admired, "Your resolve to rejoin the gods was truly admirable, Natsu."

Mirajane marveled, "You're the son of Igneel turned into a mortal…"

Levy added, "That demonstration of Fire Dragon Slayer Magic you showed us was amazing!"

Alzack grinned, "Yaj was smart to choose Natsu as his next big thing."

Bisca smiled, "Personally, I think you're kinda cute. Right, Asuka?"

Asuka cheered, "Yeah!"

Elfman crossed his arms and grinned, "Well, color me impressed. You wanna be a god again, you gotta be a real man."

Lisanna nodded, "Big Brother Elf is right. You're one of a kind."

Natsu smiled proudly, "Not bad, huh? I heard Crocus was the best place to cook up some trouble. And when there's trouble, a hero always comes in to save the day."

Yajima agreed, "That's right. Natsu is the genuine article."

"Say, now that you mention it, the name 'Natsu' does ring a bell." Warren recalled. "I read from the local newspaper. Isn't 'Natsu' the name of the guy who wrecked the whole town of Magnolia seven years ago?"

" **Watch it, pal…** " Natsu's anger flashed. He recalled the time his Fire Dragon Slayer Magic spiraled out of control and destroyed Magnolia, an accident that drove the people to banish him. It was something he wanted to forget more than ever.

"Yeah, you're right. He's gotta be the same guy!" Gray remarked with a cruel grin. "Natsu the Fire Breather! Nice job on cleaning up the whole town with fire! Ya missed a spot!"

" **I GOT YOUR FIRE RIGHT HERE!** " Natsu roared. " **YOU WANNA PIECE OF ME?!** " He flew towards Gray and smashed his face with a burning fist, and began pounding him down to the ground wildly and hysterically. " **I'LL WIPE THAT STUPID GRIN OFF YOUR FACE! YOU—** "

"Stop! Stop, stop! No, no! Stop, stop, stop!" Wendy, Romeo, Yajima, Alzack, and Elfman grabbed Natsu's body and pulled, trying to break up the fight. Erza watched the brawl with outrage. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore.

" **THAT'S ENOUGH!** " By the loud tone of Erza's voice, everyone stopped and whipped their heads around in shock; a few even recoiled at the word. With that distraction, Wendy, Romeo, Yajima, Alzack, and Elfman successfully pulled Natsu off Gray, who suffered a black eye, charred and ripped clothes, and broken teeth.

"Take it easy, Natsu," Wendy calmed Natsu down. "Take it easy."

"Stay calm, kid," Yajima eased. "Stay calm."

"What are you, crazy?!" Gray screeched, staring at Natsu incredulously for the painful beating. "Sheesh!"

"You know the rules!" Erza shouted. "Fairy Tail is not a place for brawling or fighting! All members should get along with one another, especially our guests."

"Well, talk to him!" Gray pointed angrily at Natsu. "He started it! He's not even a member of our guild!"

"Guild member or no guild member, it doesn't matter! Fighting each other violates everything our guild stands for," Erza glared at Gray. "You should show proper respect to Natsu. He's the son of Igneel, a Dragon Slayer, and Yajima's new pupil."

"How could this joker be Yajima's pupil?" Gray glared back. "Does he like Natsu better than Master Gildarts?" He then pointed a finger at Yajima, "I thought Master Gildarts was supposed to be your _one_ and _only_ star pupil! Do you really mean it?"

Yajima remained frozen. He felt a burning shame, and he dreaded having to choose between his faith in Natsu or in Gildarts.

Gray growled at Yajima, "Master Gildarts was more of a student than Natsu will ever be. I don't care how he was born; he'll never replace Master Gildarts. He'll never be your new star pupil." He banged a fist at the table for emphasis, "And he'll _never_ be one of us." With the final word in the matter said, he turned to the doors to exit the guildhall, accompanied by those who agreed with him. Only Natsu, Wendy, Romeo, Yajima, Happy, Carla, Erza, the Strauss siblings, the Connells, and Levy were left behind.

"Hey, Mr. Dragon," Wakaba remained, turning to Natsu with a stern look. "If we need a hero, we need a _professional_ , _not_ an amateur." He then joined Gray and his group outside.

"Hey, wait! Stop!" Natsu shouted and ran to the exit, trying to reason with the skeptic guildmates.

"Wait for us!" Romeo cried as he, Wendy, and Carla went after Natsu.

"I'll go with him," Yajima elected. "It's been fun visiting your guild. Thanks, kids." With that, he waved and hastily followed Natsu and the others to the exit.

"Should we follow them?" Levy asked.

"Let them be," Erza replied. "They need some time to think."

In the midst of the few guild members that remained, only one sitting in a separate table stared silently at the group's departure with shock and surprise in his eyes. He was an elderly man with short blue trimmed hair and a blue moustache. He wore a white long-sleeved jacket, a black shirt with a purple vest, and black pants. He whispered, "Romeo…? Is that you…?!"

* * *

"Wait! Hold on! I can explain!" Natsu yelled, searching the empty town square for Gray and the skeptic guildmates. After extensive searching, the Dragon Slayer sighed in frustration and leaned his back against the wall. When Wendy, Romeo, Yajima, Happy, and Carla rejoined, Natsu spoke worriedly, "How am I gonna prove myself a hero if nobody will give me a chance? Erza and her crew were the only ones that believed me. But Gray… that's a different story. What will happen to me? Will I end up just like Gildarts?"

Yajima replied, "Look, I'm not saying I'm choosing you over Gildarts. I'm choosing you because I believe you're my one last hope to redeem my past failures as a hero trainer."

Happy patted Natsu's back, "Don't worry, Natsu. One day, you'll get your chance."

Romeo said, "All we need is some kind of catastrophe or disaster."

Wendy added, "With so much trouble going on, I bet finding one is a whole lot easy. But how?"

"Help! Help!" the cry of a familiar voice sounded. The gang peered through the crowd to find Lucy Heartfilia crying desperately for help, pushing her way towards the sea of people blocking her path. "Please! Help! Please! Someone, anyone! There's been a terrible accident!"

"Lucy?" Natsu was surprised to see Lucy again, yet happy at the same time.

"Ugh, speaking of disasters…" Yajima rolled his eyes, with Romeo groaning in agreement. Natsu raised his eyebrow, but shook it off as Lucy ran up to him and his friends.

"Natsu!" Lucy breathed, wheezing from the frantic search. "Natsu, thank goodness!"

"Calm down, Lucy," Natsu eased. "What's going on?"

"Did something bad happen?" Wendy asked.

"Outside the city, two little boys were playing in the gorge," Lucy explained frantically. "But then, there was this rockslide, a terrible rockslide! They're trapped behind a huge boulder!"

"Whoa! Talk about a rocky situation!" Happy exclaimed jokingly.

"This isn't a joke, cat!" Lucy snapped. "It's a very serious situation!"

"Kids? Trapped?" Natsu beamed with hope. This was it! This could be his chance to prove himself! He turned to his friends with an excited expression, "Guys, did you hear that?! This is great!"

"You're really choked up about this, aren't you?" Lucy asked incredulously.

"No time to lose! Everybody, let's fly!" Natsu shouted.

"Aye, sir!" Happy confirmed.

"Right!" Carla agreed.

The two Exceeds spread their wings and grabbed the two Dragon Slayers' backs, and Natsu pulled Romeo and Lucy with him, much to her alarm.

"No, I… You don't understand—" Lucy's protest gave way to a scream of fright as Happy lifted Natsu, Romeo, and Lucy up miles into the air. " **I HAVE THIS TERRIBLE FEAR OF HEIGHTS!** "

Romeo chuckled at Lucy's nausea, "That totally made my day."

Carla urged, "Let's go, Wendy! Everyone needs us!"

Wendy nodded, "Okay!" The two flew up and followed Natsu, Lucy, Romeo, and Happy on their way to the gorge. The local citizens and all of the Fairy Tail wizards, including the skeptic ones, caught wind of the ongoing commotion and decided to follow the flying Exceeds to the source.

"Wait for me!" Yajima screamed, as he began to chase after the others. "I'm right behind you! Whoo…" He then panted rapidly, fatigued from running too much. "I'm way behind you… Hoo-boy, I need to lose a little weight."


	12. The Snake Charmer Ophiuchus

Natsu, Lucy, Wendy, Romeo, Happy, and Carla dove into the gorge outside the city, avoiding dangerous and sharp rock formations as they flew. As the four dismounted from the two Exceeds, they looked back at Lucy, dizzied, nauseous, and an absolute mess from all the intense flying.

"Are you okay?" Natsu asked.

"I'm fine," Lucy groaned. "Just let me straighten myself up before I ruin the upholstery."

"Is the flying too much for you, Lucy? I hope you enjoyed the ride!" Romeo chuckled amusingly.

"Oopsie!" Happy gasped, noticing Lucy's condition. "I didn't mean to make her sick on purpose. I must've flown real fast."

"Yeah, ya think?" Lucy moaned, her face slightly turning green.

"Look, your face is going green!" Happy stated jokingly.

"Shut it, fleabag…" Lucy retched. "I'm gonna…"

Concerned for Lucy's health, Wendy lifted her hands, which glowed with blue light. She asked, "Should I use a spell to make you feel better?"

"Sure," Lucy nodded. "Anything that'll get me outta this jam will do."

" **Troia!** " Wendy inched her glowing hands towards Lucy's chest, and the light enveloped the blonde-haired girl. Within seconds, the nausea and dizziness was gone.

"I feel as good as new. Thanks, little girl," Lucy smiled. "You're a lifesaver."

"I'm little, but I'm capable of anything," Wendy replied. "I'm Wendy."

"Nice to meet you, Wendy," Lucy said. She turned to Romeo, "And you must be Romeo."

"Gee, thanks for remembering my name, Miss Obvious," Romeo rolled his eyes.

Lucy sighed, "You're welcome."

Wendy turned to Happy and asked, "Hey, Happy? Is this the gorge outside the city? You said you knew every location of Earth-land from above."

"Aye," Happy nodded. "But this is no ordinary gorge— this is the Zodiac Terrace."

The group paused to take a good look yonder of the rocky landscape. At the center was a small arena-like round circle, as evidenced by multiple stretched lines of edges shaped to look like seats. Sprawling on the circle was an assortment of broken weapons, withered bones, and small boulders.

"The Zodiac Terrace… I've heard many legends about this place," Carla spoke. "It's the burial site of countless demigod heroes that died in historic battles. Their remains were buried there." She noticed a few sprawled bones, "Well, most of them."

"And Gildarts was one of those dead demigods," Natsu said.

"Was he buried there, too?" Romeo asked.

Happy stated, "The day Gildarts died, Fairy Tail refused to bury his body in the Terrace. Instead, they buried him in the Crocus Southgate Park. Remember the story?"

"Oh, right," Natsu confirmed. "Forgot about that."

Wendy wondered, "Could Ophiuchus possibly be the one behind the deaths of all those demigods?"

Romeo added, "Yaj told us that a lot of demigods were killed because of her. Gildarts was one of them."

Carla replied, "We can only assume that Ophiuchus is the one responsible. But for now, we must focus on the situation at hand."

Natsu said, "Lucy said two little boys were trapped in a boulder. Where are they, anyway?"

"Help!" the voice of a child screamed from behind a large boulder, catching Natsu's attention. "I can't breathe!"

"Hurry!" another child's voice cried.

"Get us out!" the first child's voice coughed. Natsu sped towards the boulder, wasting no time.

"We're suffocating! Somebody call the Magic Council!" the second child's voice yelled.

Approaching the boulder, Natsu ducked to see two helpless boys trapped underneath. He said, "Easy, guys. You're gonna be alright."

The first boy cried, "We can't last much longer!"

The second boy added, "Get us out before we get crushed!"

"Okay, here goes!" Focusing his magic, Natsu clenched his fist which ignited in a blaze of fire. " **Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!** " In one swift movement, he struck the boulder with his burning fist. Within seconds, the boulder crumbled and shattered into pieces, allowing the boys to escape with ease.

"How you guys doin'?" Natsu asked.

"We're okay now!" the second kid answered.

"Jeepers, mister, you're really strong!" the first kid remarked.

Natsu dusted his heads and smirked, "Well, just try to be a little more careful next time, okay, kids?"

"We sure will!" the boys agreed in unison. "Bye, mister!" The two ran off as Natsu placed his hands on his hips, satisfied with his work.

The citizens of Crocus and the Fairy Tail wizards arrived and sat down on the edgy lines. Having witnessed the sheer power of Natsu's magic, they clapped. Most people such as Erza, Mirajane, Levy, and the Connells were impressed of the rescue, while some others like Gray, Juvia, and Wakaba Mine were displeased.

Erza smiled, "Another impressive display of his Fire Dragon Slayer Magic."

Gray scoffed, "Yeah, he's tough and all, but I'm still not convinced."

Wakaba added, "So a couple of kids were trapped in a crevasse, so what? We want something bigger than a rescue."

Juvia agreed, "That so-called hero will never replace my love for Gray."

Gray said nervously, "Um…"

Unbeknownst to everyone, the two boys ran up the gorge's slope, where they found Mard Geer sitting on a stone chair with a bowl of raw shrimps. The Lord of the Dead took a shrimp and ate it, as he said, "Stirring performance, boys. I was really moved."

Mard was talking to Kain Hikaru and Rustyrose, disguised as boys thanks to the Arc of Embodiment. "'Jeepers, mister,'" Rustyrose mocked, returning to his true form.

"I was goin' for innocence," Kain added, returning to his true form as well.

"And I'm giving two _flaming thumbs up_ for the leading lady!" Mark smirked, and by 'flaming thumbs up,' his thumbs ignited with dark fire. "Well done, my lovely assistant! What a girl!"

Lucy's only reply was a sigh. Under Mard Geer's orders, she lured Natsu and his friends down into the gorge, but only without a choice. Turning to Natsu, she muttered quietly, "Get out of there, Natsu, while you still can." She knew there was something else in that crevasse Natsu didn't know about.

Back down the mountain, Yajima approached Natsu, panting in exhaustion from running all the way to the gorge. He wheezed, "Wait… wait for me… I'm too old to run that fast…" He caught his breath, "Did I… Did I miss anything?"

"Yaj, did you hear that?" Natsu asked happily. "They applauded for me. I did great!"

Suddenly, a loud hissing sound was heard from the crevasse the boulder once stood. Everyone paused. All attention was directed towards the hole in the crevasse, where a pair of serpentine eyes emerged from the darkness. Yajima gulped, "Um, I'd hate to burst your bubble, Natsu, but that wasn't applause."

Natsu, Wendy, Romeo, Happy, Carla, and Yajima gasped fearfully as the monstrosity emerged from the cave and pulled itself up. It was a humongous part-organic, part-mechanical snake covered in a series of massive dark scales and prominent holes on the sides, and a dark symbol adorning its forehead. Yajima and the Fairy Tail wizards were the most terrified; it was something they recognized, something that they feared the most.

Natsu asked Yajima nervously, "Y-Y-Y-Yaj? What do you call that thing?"

" **TWO WORDS:** " Yajima answered in a terrified scream.

The snake screeched ferociously, its image illuminated by lightning erupting from the sky.

" **OPHIUCHUS!** " Yajima finished.

"Ophiuchus?!" Natsu, Wendy, Romeo, Happy, and Carla gasped.

"Ophiuchus!" the Fairy Tail wizards exclaimed. Some recoiled in fear at the sheer size of the snake, while others stared with burning anger and hatred.

Watching from the mountain, Mard and his minions awaited the commencement of their well-laid plan. Mard announced, "Let's get ready to **RUMBLE!** "

Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo backed away from Ophiuchus as she slithered towards them, intent on feasting on their flesh with her fangs. Wendy shivered, "That's Ophiuchus the Snake Charmer?"

Romeo trembled, "The same monster that killed all those demigods?"

"A living nightmare," Yajima stated fearfully. "Ophiuchus devoured thousands of demigods throughout history, increasing her strength a thousand fold. Her strength increases every time she eats one!"

Happy exclaimed, "So the monster in front of us is some sort of super demigod killer?!"

Yajima replied, "Of all the demons of the Underworld in existence, Ophiuchus is the most feared and dangerous of all, and no one who fought her ever survived! Her power is nearly godlike!"

Natsu scoffed at the idea. He confronted Ophiuchus with an expression mixed with disgust and fury, "You know, it makes me sick to know that monsters like her killed a lot of people for power. Those demigods weren't the only ones; it was Gildarts. He was Yaj's last student— Fairy Tail's master! Ophiuchus may have fought lots of demigods…" He paused to let this sink in, "…but she's never faced a living god like me!"

"Don't do it, Natsu!" Yajima protested. "There's no way you could beat her!"

Natsu ignored him and cracked his fire-ignited knuckles, "I _hate_ it when they kill people just to satisfy their lust for power. I _hate_ it when they take away something people cared about! And I **HATE** it when they're talking like they're gods! So I'm just gonna kick it up a notch!" He added with fierce determination, "I **WILL** destroy Ophiuchus! And I **WILL** avenge Gildarts's death! For Yaj! For Fairy Tail! This is my promise, and I'm not gonna break it!"

Yajima and the Fairy Tail wizards were touched by Natsu's declaration, and they took his promise for granted. Some like Erza, Levy, and Mirajane smiled with tears.

Natsu growled at Ophiuchus, "Hey, Snake Eyes! You'll have to face me!"

" _Natsssssssssu Dragneel…_ " Ophiuchus spoke in a venomous hissing voice. " _You're the sssssssson of Igneel, King of Olympussssssssss._ "

"How did you know who I am?" Natsu demanded.

Ophiuchus replied, " _My massssssster told me everything. The sssssssson of a god who became a mortal, yet you retain your powerssssssssssss. The godssssssss were poor in taking great care of their sssssssssssspawn."_

"Wait a sec… By 'master,' does she mean Mard Geer Tartaros?" Happy questioned.

"He's the Lord of the Dead and ruler of the Underworld!" Carla stated, before she paused to think. "But…"

Ophiuchus continued, " _My massssssssster recognized you as my newesssssssst target… and my newessssssst meal._ _I will take great delight in feasssssssting on the flesh of a god. Feed me with your blood!_ " She added maliciously, " ** _Feed me now!_** "

"Bring it!" Natsu's body pulsed with a burning aura. He charged towards Ophiuchus and smashed her with various Dragon Slayer spells. " **Fire Dragon's Wing Attack! Fire Dragon's Claw! Fire Dragon's Roar!** "

Romeo rooted, "Yeah, that's it! Smash her up!"

Recovering from Natsu's attacks, Ophiuchus screeched and swiped her venomous fangs, but Natsu managed to dodge them.

Happy cheered, "Dance around! Watch the fangs!"

After eluding the fangs multiple times, Natsu countered with another shuffle of Dragon Slayer spells. " **Fire Dragon's Iron Fist! Fire Dragon's Sword Horn! Fire Dragon's Flame Elbow!** "

Wendy cried, "Go, Natsu, go! Don't let her get you!"

Carla advised, "Don't give up! Watch her movements!"

" **Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame!** " Putting his hands together, Natsu shot a massive fireball against an injured and dazed Ophiuchus.

However, the snake anticipated the attack and absorbed the Brilliant Flame right into her mouth. She laughed wickedly, " _You little fool… Your attacksssssss are ssssscorching to my ssssskin, yet tasssssssty to my tongue._ "

"You want some more?!" Natsu bellowed, and he charged to attack Ophiuchus again. He smashed her rapidly with multiple punches, kicks, and Dragon Slayer spells, while dodging her fangs with great speed and agility. The audience was awed by the intensity of this spectacular duel, anticipation coursing in their veins.

"He really is amazing," Levy marveled. "Natsu's magic is so powerful. It's almost like he's breaking through a dragon's scales and shatters its spirit."

"Fire Dragon Slayer Magic," Erza gasped. "Lost Magic, the Magic of the Gods."

" **Crimson Lotus: Exploding Flame Blade!** " Natsu swung his arms in a circular fashion, creating a powerful and highly destructive torrent of fire and sent it towards Ophiuchus. The moment it struck, Ophiuchus's skin was burned and ripped into pieces, the creature screeching in absolute pain. The audience watched in bewilderment as Ophiuchus came crashing down in a crumpled heap.

However, the Snake Charmer still had some fight left in her, despite her serious wounds. She hissed, " _No… I'm not finished yet!_ " In one swift move, Ophiuchus swept her long tail, which grabbed Natsu by the ankle and sent him flying into the air. Natsu screamed as he fell straight into Ophiuchus's open mouth. " ** _Become my meal!_** "

With a snap, the Snake Charmer swallowed Natsu in one gulp. Everyone dreaded what became of the young Fire Dragon Slayer. Ophiuchus let out a gigantic burp, satisfied with her meal. " _Delicioussssssssss…_ " she breathed. The burp was so loud and disgusting that it almost made Lucy hurl.

" _And now, for the sssssssssssscond main courssssse… mortalsssssss by the hundredsssssss!_ " Ophiuchus hissed delightfully, preparing to lunge towards the crowd. However, she stopped short when she felt a strange sensation from her throat. Fear was replaced by confusion. Why did the snake stop?

" _Ugh… Not good… I don't feel sssssssso… good…!_ " Ophiuchus moaned. " _I'm feeling… a little… indigessssssstion… I… I…_ "

 **BOOM!** A huge explosion erupted from Ophiuchus's throat, ripping her body apart and splitting it in two. From the snake's remains, Natsu emerged. He was still alive and breathing, albeit dazed and covered in purple slime.

"Natsu!" Wendy, Romeo, Yajima, Happy, and Carla cried.

The crowd applauded again, this time even louder than before. Just as rescuing the boys was a bit impressive, the battle with Ophiuchus was the most remarkable.

Wendy cried happily, "You did it, Natsu! You stopped Ophiuchus!"

Romeo shouted joyfully, "Alright, alright! You're the man! You rock, bro!"

Happy cheered, "Aye! You showed that snake who's boss!"

Carla remarked, "Most impressive, Natsu! You truly live up to your name as the son of Igneel."

Yajima marveled, "I can't believe it… You defeated the Snake Charmer!" He was amazed that Natsu defeated the monster that killed Gildarts, his last student. He then added with an awkward chuckle, "I guess there's more to Natsu than meets the eye. He really _is_ a living god."

"You see, guys?" Natsu chuckled weakly. "That wasn't so bad." Sighing in exhaustion, he collapsed into a pool of slime from Ophiuchus's remains.

"Natsu!" Yajima ran over to check Natsu's condition. Towering over the salmon-haired boy, he pointed up to his spiked hat, "Kid, kid, listen to me. How many spikes in my hat do you see?"

"Nine?" Natsu's vision was blurry that he saw Yajima's hat split in three.

"Eh, close enough," Yajima shrugged, as he, Wendy, and Romeo helped him up.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up," Romeo said.

"I'll heal you with my Sky Magic," Wendy offered.

 **In the mountain above…**

Kain and Rustyrose were getting extremely nervous. Their boss would probably get upset for Ophiuchus's defeat. But to their surprise, Mard sported a confident grin as he sat back on his seat. "Boys, boys, relax. It's only half-time. The other half will begin shortly."

 **Back below…**

Thanks to Wendy's Sky Magic, Natsu was fully healed. He said, "Well, that was easy. For someone who's called a super demigod killer, she's not so tough." He looked up to the sky above, which was full of clouds crying with rain. "Gildarts, I hope you're watching this. You'd be very proud of what I did for your guild."

"Wait, I think it's was _too_ easy," Wendy said in concern, her mind clouded with thoughts. "Mr. Yajima said that Ophiuchus is nearby godlike. Does that mean…"

Luckily, she didn't have to continue. Natsu, Wendy, Romeo, and Yajima turned to hear a rumbling coming from Ophiuchus's decapitated body.

"That doesn't sound good," Yajima said worriedly.

To everyone's shock and horror, Ophiuchus's headless body stood up on its own… and the throat popped out three extendable heads! Their faces froze with fear at the sudden transformation.

" **DEFINITELY NOT GOOD!** " Yajima screamed, running away with Wendy and Romeo. The revived Snake Charmer was out for blood again!

" _Feed me! Feed me! Feed me! Feed me!_ " Ophiuchus's three heads screeched simultaneously as they prepare to devour Natsu with their multiple fangs. Wanting to retaliate, the Fire Dragon Slayer gave a loud whistle, and Happy responded to his call. The blue Exceed swooped in with his wings and grabbed Natsu's back, flying him up.

"Come on, Happy!" Natsu shouted. "We've got a snake to fry!"

"Aye, sir!" Happy complied.

" **Crimson Lotus: Exploding Flame Blade!** " Natsu transformed his arms into living indestructible blades of explosive flames. With Happy's aid, he dodged Ophiuchus's fangs, and sliced off each head with the Explosive Flame Blades. Unfortunately, no matter how many heads were chopped off, three new heads grew in its place. This went on for a few minutes or so as more heads sprouted from Ophiuchus's body as fast as lightning.

Finally, Natsu and Happy were horrified. They found themselves confronted by an endless stream of Ophiuchus's hissing heads.

" **WILL YOU FORGET THE HEAD-SLICING THING?!** " Yajima yelled at Natsu frantically. That strategy was only going to get him killed!

"Hold on, Natsu!" Happy yelled, and he rose Natsu up into the air, avoiding two snake heads that ended up smashing each other. The two kept on dodging, until one head hit Happy, knocking Natsu off his paws and causing him to land in a forest of Ophiuchus's heads. Natsu screamed, riding down the necks like a slide.

"Yaj, I don't think we covered this one in basic training!" Natsu yelled, about to slide into the mouth of one of Ophiuchus's heads. Luckily, another snake head chomped in an attempt to catch the Fire Dragon Slayer on its own, but missed. This knocked Natsu off the necks and into the side of a cliff. Before he could grab on, Ophiuchus wrapped her coils around his body, trapping him.

"It's time for my favorite part of the game…" Mard smirked with anticipation. The Snake Charmer was about to finish off the only nuisance in his plans. "…Sudden Death!"

" _Oh, how the mighty have fallen!_ " the multi-headed Ophiuchus gloated. " _To think you ussssssed to be a real pain in my sssssinussssss. Now look at you, wrapped in my coilsssssss like the lowly worm that you are. Helplessssssss, with no one around to ssssssave you. Now you will become my meal!_ "

" **STOOOOOOOOOP!** "

With a loud scream, Wendy appeared in front of Ophiuchus, standing on top of the snake's coils and spreading her arms behind Natsu.

"Wendy, what are you doing, child?!" Carla exclaimed. "Get back here! It's too dangerous!"

" _Hm?_ " Ophiuchus noticed. " _Is that another mortal I sssssssssee?_ "

"If you kill Natsu, you'll have to kill me, too!" Wendy cried defiantly, tears streaming down her face. "Natsu is my friend! He's like a brother to me! I won't let you hurt him!"

" _Oh, I sssssssssse. Is he your friend?"_ Ophiuchus asked, before she chuckled smugly. " _No matter. You cannot ssssssave him from my fangsssssss. He will be conssssssumed! And sssssso will you!_ "

"I'LL DO ANYTHING!" Wendy screamed with determination, the tears never ceasing. "ANYTHING TO PROTECT THE ONES I CARE ABOUT!"

" _You have nothing left…_ " Ophiuchus finished. "… _but your_ _ **death!**_ _"_

" **WENDY!** " Carla screamed tearfully. " **NOOOOOOOO!** "

Romeo yelled, " **WENDY! GET OUTTA HERE!** "

Yajima cried frantically, " **PLEASE! OH, GODS! SOMEBODY! ANYBODY! PLEASE HELP US!** "

The rest of the audience watched in stunned horror. Was this the end? Has Mard Geer finally won?

But then, Natsu's eyes flashed with an idea. He noticed that the multi-headed Ophiuchus's vulnerable weak spot was a hole between the multiple heads spawned from her body. Gathering all of his energy, all of his might, all of his will— Natsu erupted into fire with a mighty scream, breaking free from Ophiuchus's coils. The explosion was powerful enough to blow Wendy away with great force, until Carla caught her in time.

" **Crimson Lotus: Meteor Flare!** " Transforming himself into a living fireball, Natsu blazed towards the center of Ophiuchus's body and zoomed inside the hole. At first, the multi-headed snake was confused, but it finally struck her when her body suddenly inflated like a balloon. And then, she exploded with a mighty **POP!** Ophiuchus erupted into an endless sea of flames which caused a huge fissure. A pile of rocks broke apart and rained from the gorge, burying the rising flames until they disappeared.

The only thing remaining was Ophiuchus's tail, which had appeared to have gone limp. The audience was stunned of the battle's shocking conclusion.

"No…"

With a new terror condensing in their minds, Wendy, Romeo, Happy, Carla, and Yajima headed for the rubble.

"No, no, no! Natsu!" Romeo cried, surveying the rubble for any sign of Natsu. "Natsu, where are you?"

"Where are you, Natsu?" Wendy sniffled. "Please!"

"Natsu…" Happy whimpered. "Natsu…"

The panic kept increasing. The cries kept calling. And still, no response.

Finding no trace, Wendy, Romeo, and Happy quickly assumed the realization that Natsu died in the rubble. Consumed by grief, they sank to their knees and cried out with continuous screams of Natsu's name and heavy sobs. Wendy hugged Carla tightly, the white Exceed trying her best to comfort her, Romeo banged his fists in frustration, and Happy just stood still.

"No…" Yajima whispered sadly. "There goes another one, just like Gildarts." He had hoped that Natsu could go the distance. He never thought he'd see the day that his one last hope flashed before his eyes.

Mard watched from the mountain with satisfaction. Though he never expected Ophiuchus to fall by Natsu's flames, the result of the battle was all he needed. He believed he had finally won. "Game, set, match." He lit a cigar with a flaming thumb and smoked in victory. It looked like it was all over…

…but the silence ceased when a rustle was heard from Ophiuchus's tail. For a moment, everyone feared that the Snake Charmer had survived…

…but the tail was shoved from the rubble by a familiar salmon-haired youth with ripped clothes. It was Natsu! He had survived! He had won!

" **NATSU!** " Wendy, Romeo, Yajima, Happy, and Carla screamed in a mixture of joy and relief.

The audience cheered wildly in response. The Fire Dragon Slayer had survived, and saved the people from the Snake Charmer against all odds. The Fairy Tail wizards were overwhelmed with emotions. Natsu promised to the guild that he would avenge Gildarts by defeating Ophiuchus, and he succeeded. Now their late guild master could finally rest in peace. And as for Gray, the most skeptic of Natsu, he gave his own response in the form of a look of sheer amusement.

"Hmph," Gray smirked. "Not bad."

From the crowd, the same elderly man with short blue hair stared at Romeo with tears in his eyes. "Romeo… You've grown up."

Exhausted from the long battle, Natsu smiled weakly and waved to his new fans, who picked him up and carried him away on their shoulders, along with Wendy, Romeo, and Happy. The three hugged their best friend with tearful hugs and loving laughter. Carla, on the other hand, was flying above the crowd, wiping tears from her eyes.

"Magnificent, Natsu!" Carla marveled. "You have vanquished the beast!"

"Well, you gotta admit…" Natsu chuckled with a grin. " _That_ was pretty heroic."

Yajima stood on a rock and threw his spiked hat into the air in excitement. " **YOU DID IT, KID! YOU DID IT! YOU WON BY A LANDSLIDE!** "

But not everyone was happy for Natsu. Mard Geer was extremely furious, glowing darker red and burning up his entire cigar. He held both Kain and Rustyrose's heads, burning them with his grasp.

"Ouch, ouch… Boss is mad… Boss is mad…" Kain winced.

Surprisingly, Lucy was impressed by Natsu's success. Clapping her hands, she remarked, "Well, what do you know?"

A new hero was born at last.


	13. Zero to Hero

Back in the gallery, the Muses resumed their roles as narrators of the story. They presented a picture of Natsu defeating Ophiuchus, on the day his career as a hero began. Ultear narrated, "From that day forward, our boy Natsu Dragneel could do no wrong. He was so hot, steam looked cool." The Muses then began their song number, dancing as the background changed color.

Ultear: **_Oh yeah!_**

The Muses danced around a disc of Natsu's image. When Brandish bumped into it, it rolled along and made it look like the image was running.

 ** _Bless my soul,  
Nat was on a roll!_**

Brandish held a scroll that pictured Natsu's appearance in every opinion poll on Earth-land.

Brandish: **_Person of the week in every big opinion poll_**

Meredy: **_What a pro!_**

When Meredy pulled down a curtain, the background shifted to Natsu signing autographs for his fans.

Ultear: **_Nat could stop a show_**

Mard Geer, in his conference room, set up a collection of miniature statues representing the Underworld's ferocious demons in his mad attempts to get rid of Natsu. He placed the statue of Azuma the Great Tree against the statue of Natsu.

 ** _Point him at a monster and you're talkin' S.R.O._**

The scene shifted to Azuma rampaging all over Crocus with his long, powerful roots.

Muses: **_He was a no one_**

Éclair and Zera: **_A zero, zero_**

Casting **Crimson Lotus: Exploding Flame Blade** , Natsu unleashed exploding torrents of flame against Azuma, who was horrified of the incoming attack.

Muses: **_Now he's a honcho  
He's a hero!_**

A vase depicted the remains of a destroyed Azuma, whose roots were used by Natsu and his friends as a fireplace to cook lots of food. Next, Natsu, Wendy, Romeo, and Happy gave hi-fives to each other.

Ultear: **_Here was a kid with his act-down pat_**

The Muses danced on top of the word _Zero_ , in which the first letter changed to "H," making it _Hero._

Muses: **_Zero to hero in no time flat!_**

Mard Geer knocked away his miniature demon statues in a fit of rage.

 ** _Zero to hero_**

Ultear: **_Just like that!_**

Ultear snapped her fingers, and the scene shifted to Natsu, accompanied by his friends, giving a dashing smile to thousands of screaming fangirls.

Muses: **_When he smiled  
The girls went wild  
With oohs and aahs_**

The scene changed to Brandish slapping Natsu's face on a vase.

Brandish: **_And they slapped his face  
On every vase_**

Zera bonked Brandish on the head, trying to correct her.

Zera: **_On every 'vahse!'_**

Brandish got back at Zera by slamming the vase on top of her head. The next scene detailed the citizens of Crocus tossing coins, cash, and money to Natsu and his friends as a token of respect. During the song number, the Muses' faces appeared in some pieces of money.

Muses: **_From appearance fees and royalties  
Our Nat had cash to burn_**

The next scene detailed Happy removing the covers to present a huge statue of Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo to commemorate their heroism. After all, Wendy and Romeo played their own part in saving Crocus from disaster and chaos, so Natsu's not the only hero. Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo were an unstoppable team of heroes, and they've been fighting the forces of evil together ever since.

 ** _Now nouveau riche and famous  
He could tell you what's an Earth-land urn!_**

A credit card named "Fiore Express" was seen with Natsu's face on it, and a lot of artists painted Natsu's face on every urn.

 ** _Say Amen,  
There he goes again!_**

Natsu was seen fighting against Lullaby, another demon sent by Mard Geer. At the end of the fight, Natsu crushed Lullaby's stony body into pieces, with Wendy and Romeo tossing the demon's head out of the stadium. Yajima did a victory touchdown pose.

Éclair and Zera: **_Sweet and undefeated_**

Meredy posed as the Muses pulled out scoring cards, giving a perfect ten.

Meredy: **_And an awesome ten for ten!_**

The next scene shifted to the Natsu Dragneel Store, where people lined up to buy some Natsu-related merchandise.

Muses: **_Folks lined up  
Just to watch him flex_**

The customers grabbed every Natsu action figure from the shelves. Brandish was lucky to get one of them, and she squeezed the muscles to make Natsu's abs grow bigger.

Brandish: **_And this perfect package packed a pair of pretty pecs!_**

The next scene showed Natsu, Wendy, Romeo, Happy, and Carla flying against Erigor the Hurricane, accompanied by Motherglare and the Six Eclipse Dragons. But thanks to the heroes' incredible teamwork and quick strategy, the monsters were easily defeated and vanquished.

Muses: **_Natsu, he comes, he sees, he conquers_**

The scene shifted to the citizens and the Fairy Tail wizards cheering and screaming for Natsu, especially the ones who used to mock him.

 ** _Honey, the crowds were goin' bonkers!_**

In the next scene, Natsu sailed the dark waters with Wendy and Romeo. A sea monster named Yakdoriga attempted to attack, but Natsu grabbed him by the neck.

 ** _He showed the moxie, brains, and spunk! (Yeah!)_**

A vase depicted Natsu hanging Yakdoriga's head on a wall, with his friends smiling proudly at his work.

 ** _From zero to hero_**

Brandish was carving a statue of Natsu.

Brandish: **_A major hunk!_**

Upset of another loss, Mard melted Yakdoriga's miniature statue in his hand.

Muses: **_Zero to hero_**

Ultear: **_And who'd have thunk?_**

Soon, the song got wilder as the Muses danced and marched. Ultear held a dragon-headed shield and a sword.

 ** _Who put the glad in gladiator?_**

The stills of warriors turned their shields, showing each letter to spell "Natsu Dragneel."

Chorus: **_Natsu Dragneel!_**

Holding a theater mask, Brandish moved away to present a reenactment of Natsu's battle with Ophiuchus in the Grand Crocus Theater. Natsu, Wendy, Romeo, Yajima, Happy, Carla, and the rest of the audience applauded the theater's outstanding performance.

Brandish: **_Whose darin' deeds are great theatre?_**

Chorus: **_Natsu Dragneel!_**

Éclair posed on top of a stone carving.

Éclair: **_Is he bold?_**

The paintings on the stone carving came to life and sang.

Stone Carving Paintings: **_No one braver!_**

Zera: **_Is he sweet?_**

The next scene presented the advertisement of "Natsuade," a quality soft drink named after the Fire Dragon Slayer himself. Natsu happily drank the bottle, with swimmers seen dancing in the background.

Chorus: **_Our favorite flavor!_**  
 ** _Natsu Dragneel! (My man!)  
Natsu Dragneel! (Natsu Dragneel)_**

Meanwhile, Makarov and Porlyusica beamed happily as they held tons of merchandise, and they gave an excited hi-five. Behind their household was a very enormous mansion. As a gift of love and gratitude to his adoptive parents, Natsu invested a large fortune to make them filthy rich. Boy, were the locals who rejected Natsu jealous now!

 ** _Natsu Dragneel! (Ooh)  
Natsu Dragneel! (Look at my Natsu)_**

The Muses played their instruments, and the next scene shifted to children wearing Air Natsu, the brand new performance footwear based on their greatest hero.

 ** _Natsu Dragneel! (Yeah)  
Natsu Dragneel! (Yeah, yeah, yeah)_**

Muses and Chorus: **_Bless my soul,  
Nat was on a roll!_**

Mard Geer sent Trinity Raven (Vidaldus Taka, Fukuro, and Ikaruga) against Natsu in the hopes of destroying Natsu. Fortunately, the Fire Dragon Slayer unleashed a **Fire Dragon's Iron Fist 3-Hit Combo** to take them all out at once, sending each Trinity Raven member on top of one another.

Muses: **_Undefeated!_**

Muses and Chorus: **_Riding high!_**

Ultear: **_And the nicest guy_**

Other Muses: **_Not conceited!_**

The next scene depicted the rampaging Phoenix, scorching all in its path with solar flames.

Muses: **_He was a nothing! (Zero, zero!)_**

Fortunately, Natsu arrived, and he destroyed the Phoenix by piercing the Arrow of Haja through its eye.

 ** _Now he's a honcho! (He's our hero!)_**

The scene shifted to Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo flown by Happy and Carla through the starry sky. They went under the dress of Mavis's constellation, causing her to hold her dress down with a blush.

 ** _He hit the heights at breakneck speed!  
From zero to hero!_**

Mard Geer slammed his head against the table of his conference room in frustration. Nothing he had done against Natsu was ever working!

 ** _Natsu's a hero!_**

Natsu, Wendy, Romeo, Happy, and Carla placed their hands on the cement to make a permanent mark of their heroism.

 ** _Now he's a hero!_**

A montage of earlier clips from the song was presented. The song came to an end with the Muses standing beside a huge vase depicting Natsu standing on a footstool proudly, with Ultear winking her eye with a smile.

Ultear: **_Yes, indeed!_**

* * *

The rocky walls within the mountain vibrated with explosions as Mard Geer, shaking with rage and fury, practiced shooting at Natsu-related merchandise to vent his frustration over his previous failures. He hatched every scheme, every plot, and every trap in a desperate attempt to get rid of Natsu. None had succeeded. No matter how many times he tried, Mard could not destroy his nephew. And even worse, there were only a few days remaining before the Eight Demon Gates were released from their prison in the ocean. At any rate, Mard's hostile takeover of Olympus would collapse. Kain, Rustyrose, and Lucy were there with him, watching his erratic behavior come to play.

"Pull!" Mard growled, ordering his next target. Kain and Rustyrose threw a vase with Natsu's face on it, and Mard swung his hand, creating a white rose-shaped explosion that blasted the vase into pieces.

"Wow, you look upset," Lucy chuckled amusingly.

"Oh, you think?!" Mard snapped at Lucy, before he turned away and groaned in irritation. "Ugh! I can't believe this! I've thrown everything I've got at him, I've sent every vicious demon in the Underworld, I've hatched every ingenious plan, and it doesn't even—" He stopped when he noticed something on Kain's feet: a pair of Air Natsu shoes. "What… are… those?" Mard asked, gritting his teeth.

"Oh, I dunno…" Kain shrugged, looking at the Natsu-endorsed sneakers. "I though they look kinda dashin'."

Mard's rage rose to higher levels. If there's one thing he despised more than Natsu, it's his minions _using_ stuff related to his most loathsome enemy. He began, "I've got less than a week to get rid of this _bozo…_ " On 'bozo,' his dark aura nearly erupted. "…or the entire scheme I've been setting up for seventeen years goes up in smoke…" His dark aura erupted ferociously, and his voice rose to a murderous note, " **…AND YOU ARE WEARING HIS MERCHANDISE?!** "

Mard was about to rage when he heard a slurp, instantly extinguishing his dark aura. He turned to Rustyrose, who was drinking from a bottle of Natsuade, another trademark product endorsed by the Fire Dragon Slayer. Noticing the Lord of the Dead's furious expression, Rustyrose chuckled nervously and held the bottle to him. "Thirsty?"

Mard's voice exploded to a loud, berserk, destructive roar.

 **Below the mountain…**

At the Royal Castle of Mercurius, many citizens gathered in a large decorated podium to attend a ceremony held by Princess Hisui E. Fiore to honor the heroism of Natsu and his friends. Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo stood in front of the audience, met by their cheers. Gesturing to the young heroes, Hisui announced, "Natsu Dragneel, Wendy Marvell, and Romeo Conbolt, on behalf of the Royal Family, I present to you these medals of honor for all the heroic deeds you have done for the Kingdom of Fiore—"

A loud explosion erupted from the mountain, nearly startling everyone present. Wendy wondered, "Hey, did you hear something?"

Romeo shook his head, "Nope."

Natsu shrugged, "Not a clue."

 **Back at the mountain…**

The whole area was burned to a crisp, along with Kain and Rustyrose. Lucy was fortunate enough to survive Mard's temper outburst. With a smirk, she taunted, "Looks like your game is over, Mard. Natsu's hitting every curve you've thrown at him."

Mard felt some consideration of Lucy's words. Staring at the blonde-haired girl overlooking a ledge, a small smirk crossed his lips. This could work to his advantage…

"Oh, yes," Mard chuckled, creeping behind Lucy with an idea on his mind. "I wonder if maybe I haven't been throwing the _right_ curves at him, Lucy, my dear."

" _Don't_ even go there," Lucy frowned. By the look on his face, she knew exactly what he had in mind.

"Please, Lucy, you must understand," Mard reasoned. "Natsu must have a weakness, because everybody has one. For instance, Zeref had trouble with the magic he inherited from Anhkseram, the God of Death. And as for the Alvarez Empire, they bet on the wrong Lumen Histoire. All we need to do is to simply find out what made Natsu weak."

"I've done my part," Lucy glared. "Can't your stupid minions get the job done better than anyone else?"

Mard commented, "Those two stooges couldn't handle him as a baby. I need someone who can…" He added in a seductive flare, "…handle him as a _man._ "

Crossing her arms sternly, Lucy pointed out, "Not a chance, Mard. I've sworn off man-handling."

"Well, of course, that's great, because that's what got you into this mess in the first place, isn't it?" Mard reminded. Flicking his hands, he projected a holographic memory of a past Lucy holding a handsome man in her arms. "You sold your soul to me to save the life of your dying boyfriend, Loke. That's funny, because he strongly resembles Leo, the Messenger God. And how did this ungrateful cretin repay you?" The image of another female passed by, and in response, Loke sped away from Lucy and rushed after the female, making his former girlfriend sob bitterly. "By running off with some other girl. He hurt you real bad, didn't he, Lucy?"

"Look, I've learned my lesson, okay?" Lucy snapped, shooing away the holographic memory. She was hurt by the memory she was forced to replay, and preferred not to remember it again.

Mard smiled, "I figured you'd say that, which is exactly why I've got a feeling you're going to leap for joy at my new offer." He gave Lucy a vase painted with Natsu's face, "You give me the key to bringing down the child of my deranged brother, and in return, I will give you the thing that you crave most in the entire cosmos:" He then inched his lips closer to Lucy's ear and whispered, "Your freedom."

Lucy gasped, dropping the vase she was holding with a shatter. Just then, from a wisp of shadows, an armored demon soldier from the Underworld came in. He asked, "Lord Mard Geer?"

"What is it?" Mard turned to his demonic advisor.

The soldier answered, "There are guests waiting for you in the Conference Room."

"Guests?" Mard raised an eyebrow, before he complied. "Very well, then. I'm on my way. If the Fates show up in my doorstep again, I'll never hear the end of it."

He and the demon soldier disappeared into darkness, leaving Lucy behind. Mard's new offer was a great opportunity to pass up… but would it mean betraying Natsu to get it?


	14. Family Reunion

**TWO DAYS LATER…**

In the sparkling, vibrant coliseum of Domus Flau, located near the Royal Castle of Mercurius, the attendees of thousands gathered in the giant round circle. Although the annual Grand Magic Games did not start until the next five months, the scent compelling the citizens to join the event was irresistible. The audience anticipated the outcome of this momentous spectacle from start to finish.

"Greetings, sports fans! Welcome back to the 17th Annual Wizard Smash Tournament!" said a member of the announcer team. "It's been a long road to the final, and boy, do we have one heck of a match in store for you today! The last two contestants will clash in an all-out, no holds barred match in their bid to be crowned Wizard Smash Champion! I'm your host, Chapati Lola, and joining me today as guest announcer is 5-time Wizard Smash Champion and member of the Blue Pegasus Guild, Ichiya Vandalay Kotobuki."

Sitting beside Chapati was a short and rather stout man with a distinctively big, somewhat rectangular face and wavy orange hair. He wore a white tuxedo with a bowtie and a blue rose adorned to the side, and white pants. The guest announcer in question cheered, "Finally! The Parfum has come back to Silver Dome of Fiore!" He then posed with lights flickering around him, " _Man._ It's good to be back, Chapati. I am _so_ stoked for this match today."

Chapati nodded, "Indeed. Wizards from far and wide, guild member or independent, have all participated in this tournament. But only one will walk away as the champion. I can only imagine what our finalists have in store for us."

Ichiya chuckled smugly, "They should feel lucky that I chose not to enter the tournament, otherwise they would've been parfum'd. _Man…_ "

"Uh, sure," Chapati agreed nervously. "Anyways, without further ado, let's introduce the finalists! In this corner, also known as 'Mr. Rainbow Fire,' he's a member of the greatest team of heroes, and the underdog of the magic world. Make some noise for the young magical sensation, Romeo Conbolt!"

Standing at the left corner of the arena, Romeo laughed happily and posed for the audience. Everyone was very excited to see one of Fiore's biggest heroes in action after so much hype.

Chapati commented, "Romeo is a member of Team Natsu, a three-wizard band hailed as the greatest heroes in all of Fiore, best known for saving Crocus and other neighboring cities from treacherous monsters the likes of Ophiuchus the Snake Charmer, Azuma the Great Tree, Bluenote Stinger the Gravity Core, and many others. Their mentor, the Eighth Islander Yajima, taught Romeo the Advanced Magic of Rainbow Fire, the ability to control multicolored flames at will."

Ichiya added, "I heard that Mr. Conbolt chose Rainbow Fire so that he could be on par with another Fire Magic user, Mr. Natsu Dragneel, the team's leader. I can assume that they're very close _men._ "

Chapati continued, "In a recent interview three hours ago, Romeo told us that he wanted to embark on his own journey so that he could grow up to be Natsu's equal, hence competing as a solo competitor. He vowed to win the tournament and make Team Natsu proud."

From the lowest section of seats, Wendy Marvell and Carla saw Romeo warming himself up for the match. Wendy asked anxiously, "Carla, are you sure Romeo can handle it on his own? I mean, this tournament is his first solo fight…"

Carla assured, "This experience in the tournament will prove quite helpful. Win or lose, Romeo's strength and ability will mature considerably."

"I bet Natsu will be surprised that Rainbow Fire is equal to Fire Dragon Slayer Magic," Wendy giggled. "Speaking of Natsu, where is he?"

Carla answered, "He went to the Temple of Igneel with Happy. He wanted to inform his father about his recent experiences."

Wendy beamed hopefully, "Is he finally gonna rejoin the gods?"

Carla chuckled, "Don't get your hopes up, Wendy. Just wait and see."

Wendy asked, "What about Mr. Yajima?"

Carla replied, "He's at the Fairy Tail Guildhall. He said he'll be back shortly for the award ceremony with a very special guest. I wonder who it could be?"

"And introducing Romeo's opponent: another master of Rainbow Fire and Romeo's possible match, the samurai warrior, and a member of Phantom Lord's Element 4. Give it up for Totomaru of the Great Fire!" Chapati introduced, gesturing to the other contestant in the right corner. He was a samurai wizard with black-and-white hair tied in a large ponytail wearing a red outfit reminiscent of Japanese attire.

Gripping the helm of his katana, Totomaru laughed, "So, the young Conbolt finally graces the Great Fire with his presence. You claim to have total mastery of Rainbow Fire, yet you haven't gotten a taste of mine. My Rainbow Fire goes beyond that of yours. It is time you witness it!"

Romeo stretched his arms and yawned tauntingly, "Go ahead, loser. Give me your best shot."

"Gladly!" Totomaru readied himself.

"Well, we've kept you patient viewers waiting long enough," Chapati stated. "It's time for the final match of the Wizard Smash Tournament to go underway!"

That was the cue. The bell rang, starting the match.

" **Red Fire: Charging Slash!** " Totomaru started off by running towards Romeo in a blaze of fire, his katana unsheathed and at the ready.

" **Blue Fire: Slide Kick!** " Romeo countered by delivering a blue flaming kick that sent Totomaru's head crashing into a wall. Growling, Totomaru slashed with his katana several times, but Romeo dodged each attack, especially those powered by multicolored flames. When the samurai was left wide open, Romeo performed a **Purple Fire 7-Hit Combo** that sent him crashing to the ground.

" **Yellow Fire: Great Balls of Fire!** " Recovering, Totomaru summoned five giant yellow fireballs, which Romeo promptly avoided with great agility.

" **Green Fire: Mother Nature's Clothesline!** " Romeo counterattacked with a green fire-fueled strike that sent Totomaru spinning. " **Purple Fire: Sweet Chin!** " He delivered a deadly super-kick to the samurai's chin.

" **Purple Fire: Spiked Ball!** " Totomaru enveloped himself into a solid spiked ball of purple fire and rolled towards Romeo in a wild frenzy. The young wizard managed to elude each hit with much precision.

" **Rainbow Fire: Blazing Ranbu!** " When Totomaru emerged from behind, Romeo seized the opportunity to unleash a multicolored 30-hit punch and kick combination that decimated the samurai's body. Next, Romeo performed a blazing uppercut to Totomaru's jaw, flinging him up in the air. Finally, Romeo waved his hands in a circular motion and fired a massive multicolored flame that smashed Totomaru. In the end, the samurai fell to the ground, bruised and dizzied.

"Ouch…" Totomaru wheezed. "I'm a true master of Rainbow Fire… I am Totomaru of the Great Fire… A member of Phantom's Element 4… I can't… be defeated…" He then fainted, unconscious.

"Correction, you're a master of _basic_ Rainbow Fire!" Romeo smirked, crossing his arms. "I've learned the most advanced skills of Rainbow Fire from the best trainer. By the looks of your flames, I don't know if your master was a genius or a loser. I mean, who made you a member of Phantom's Element 4? Why'd you come all this way to the finals?" He then shrugged, "Nah, it was worth it. I've had a lot of fun fighting other strong wizards, especially guys like you."

"Totomaru is unable to battle!" Chapati declared. "The winner of the match, and new Wizard Smash Champion, Romeo Conbolt!"

The bell rang, the audience cheered loudly, and Romeo did a victory pose. He cried excitedly, "Alright! I rule!"

Wendy cheered, "Yay, Romeo!"

Carla applauded, "Three cheers for Romeo!"

However, not everyone was cheering for Romeo. In the locker room, wizards from the Phantom Lord Guild were watching the monitor with angered, disgusted looks.

"Curses!" the first wizard exclaimed. "The whole Element 4 has fallen! All our efforts to beat Team Natsu with all the sabotaging, foiled! Totomaru is the weakest of them all"

"We must return to the Underworld!" the second wizard insisted. "Master Jose and Lord Mard Geer are waiting for us!"

With that, the Phantom Lord wizards unlocked a secret portal and disappeared into shadow.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, the award ceremony was commenced in Victory Lane, a large decorated area outside the arena. Surrounded by the press, Romeo, alongside Wendy and Carla, stood before Ichiya, while the cameras rolled or flashed.

Ichiya spoke, "As representative and co-host for this event, I'm pleased to announce that the Domus Flau Athletic Commission requested two very special guests to honor the tournament's victor, Romeo Conbolt, the Wizard Smash Trophy and the 10,000,000 Jewels reward. One of them is a renowned trainer of heroes, and the other, a member of Crocus's own Fairy Tail!"

"Oh, boy!" Romeo smiled. "I can't wait to know who that special guest is!"

Wendy suggested, "Must've been a member of Fairy Tail we haven't seen before."

Carla shushed, "Here they come!"

Ichiya performed a sparkling pose and declared, "And now, directly from the red carpet parfum, here they are!"

A large puff of red smoke emerged from the ground, and out of it emerged Yajima and the same elderly man with blue hair from Natsu's battle with Ophiuchus.

Yajima greeted Wendy and Romeo, "How's it going, junior heroes?"

Romeo explained with a proud smile, "I've kicked a lot of serious butt at the tournament, left and right! I've won the championship, and I gave 'em a show they'll never forget!"

"And for that, I'm grateful," Yajima remarked. "For your exceptional performance in the tournament, you'll be receiving the Wizard Smash Trophy and the 10,000,000 Jewels prize, presented by an old friend of mine." He added with a smile, "In fact, he's someone you should recognize. Someone you know very well…"

Romeo stood in silence, trying to comprehend what Yajima meant. The hero trainer gestured to the blue-haired man holding the golden trophy stashed with an enormous amount of money. He stared at Romeo with a warm glow in his eyes as he spoke, "Congratulations…" He paused to let this sink in, "…son."

"Huh?" There was a note of uncertainty in Romeo voice. Why did he call him "son?"

"Romeo, it's me," the man said, a smile crossing his face. "Your dad."

"W-W-W-What?" Romeo asked shockingly. "What did you say?"

"Dad?" Wendy and Carla both asked in confusion.

"You remember, don't you, kiddo?" the man laughed playfully. "We used to have lots of fun together in places 'round the world! We played cool games, we bought neat stuff, we ate yummy food… Y'know! It's me, Romeo! Your dad! Your daddy-o! Macao Conbolt! Remember?"

"Macao…? My… dad…?" Romeo stared for a few seconds, the smile on the elderly man's face never wavering. Family memories replayed in his head, recalling the good times and the bad; from the day Macao was the bluebird of happiness in the Conbolt family, to the day Macao left his family behind for reasons unknown. His face, his smile, the way he looked, the way he dressed… It finally struck him. Romeo's eyes welled with tears, extremely relived to see his father for the first time in many years. He ran towards his father, the hug sending the older man backwards.

" **DAAAAAAAAADDD!** " Romeo sobbed uncontrollably.

Macao stood up and scooped Romeo up into his arms and spun him around, hugging him with a joyful laugh. "Hey, kiddo."

"Dad! I thought I'd never see you again!" Romeo cried, hugging his father tightly.

Macao hugged back his son, "I worried you, right? I think I owe you a very long explanation."

Wendy asked Yajima, "Romeo's dad is a member of Fairy Tail? And he's your friend?"

Yajima chuckled, "I think I owe you a very long explanation."

Macao stated, "I just said that!"

* * *

 **At the Fairy Tail Guildhall…**

Romeo, Wendy, and Carla took deep breaths as Macao and Yajima finished recapping the events of the past— the story of Macao Conbolt, a Purple Flare wizard who became one of the most prominent wizards of Fairy Tail, and a great friend to Yajima and the guild's late master, Gildarts Clive. It was hard enough to believe that Romeo's dad was an S-Class Wizard who had done so much for the magical community. Heck, as a Fairy Tail wizard, Macao took out thousands of Vulcans single-handedly on Mt. Hakobe!

Of course, Macao was more than just a follower of Gildarts, but his best friend. And Yajima, Gildarts' teacher, became a part of their circle. The three accomplished many great things together; you've never seen a teacher, a guild master, and an S-Class Wizard brought together in friendship. Those good times came to an end when Gildarts was killed by Ophiuchus.

Unlike the other wizards who were resentful of Yajima, Macao's only regret was that he should've been there to help Gildarts and Yajima on that fateful battle. Eventually, his relationship with his wife was strained due to his unbearable grief, leading him to run away from home and stay indefinitely in the guildhall. As such, he was declared Gildarts's successor— the new guild master of Fairy Tail.

"…and that's what happened," Macao concluded the story with a sigh.

"So let me get this straight, Dad," Romeo clarified. "You left me and my mom for a long time, because…"

Yajima added, "He can't get over his grief? Yes."

"I can't believe it," Romeo breathed. "All this time, everybody in my village thinks you're drunk with magic. Why didn't you tell me the truth? Why didn't you let me know you're okay?" He added with a bit of hurt in his voice, "Don't you love us anymore?"

"I still love you, guys," Macao replied. "I was so busy running the whole guild that I forgot to write letters to you and your mom. You're not angry with me? After I've left our house without even coming back and stuff like that? After all those years? Whatever your old man's doing, he's doing it just for you."

"No, I'm not angry with you," Romeo shook his head. "I just missed you so very much. I've looked everywhere for you, and now…" He felt an immense joy overtake him, "I'm back with you! You have no idea how happy I am to see you right now!"

"I think I do, kid," Macao smiled proudly, brushing Romeo's hair. "After all, you're a member of Team Natsu, the greatest band of heroes in all of Fiore! I'm very proud to see my boy all grown up to be a great wizard, just like his dad." Romeo smiled back to his father.

Wendy said cheerily, "Well, you finally found your dad."

Carla grinned, "We are so happy for you."

Yajima added, "All in a day's work."

Romeo chuckled, "Thanks, guys."

Just then, rapid knocks on the guildhall's doors were heard.

"What in the world?" Macao marched to the doors and opened them. "Who's there?"

Standing in front of the entrance was a light blue Exceed dressed in a priest's outfit. He spoke, "Is this the Fairy Tail Guildhall?"

"Yeah," Macao nodded. "So?"

"I've come to speak with Lady Carla," the Exceed requested. "May I please speak with her?"

"Did someone call me?" Carla flew up to the entrance. When she encountered the Exceed, she gasped and immediately recognized him. "Father Samuel!"

"Lady Carla!" Samuel breathed in relief. "I've been looking everywhere for you! It's from the Kingdom of Extalia." He took out a white envelope enclosed with the insignia of a wing, "An urgent message from Queen Chagot."

"Queen Chagot?" Carla asked in confusion, before she finally discerned the information with joyous surprise. "Mother?!"

"Yes," Samuel nodded. "The Queen requested you and Wendy Marvell to come to Extalia right away. She said it had something to do with Mard Geer Tartaros, God of the Underworld."

Carla gasped again, her mind crossed with suspicion. "Mard Geer Tartaros…?"


	15. Visiting Chagot

"The train departing for Extalia will be departing in five minutes," the PTA announced.

A colorful sunset rose over the Crocus Fantasy Train Station as Wendy, Carla, Romeo, Yajima, and Macao stood before the Magic Express, prepped up and ready to travel to its predestined location.

"You sure you kids can handle going to Extalia on your own?" Macao asked.

Romeo assured his father with a confident smile, "Just leave it to us."

Yajima stated to Macao, "Your son's a Rainbow Fire Wizard, and Wendy is a Sky Dragon Slayer. If anything bites at them, they bite back."

Macao chuckled at Romeo, "I'm mighty glad of your confidence, kiddo."

Romeo chuckled back, "Thanks, Dad."

"Hey, Carla?" Wendy asked. "Why are we going to Extalia?"

Carla answered, "I received a message from Samuel, head priest of the Temple of Chagot. Apparently, Chagot had some valuable information regarding those monster attacks over the past couple of months."

Wendy wondered, "Like Ophiuchus, Azuma, and Bluenote Stinger?"

Romeo added with a beam, "And by Chagot, you mean the Goddess of Seasons? Another Olympian wants to talk to us?"

Carla explained, "She requested me and Wendy to come to Extalia. With her advice, we might be able to find out who masterminded those events."

Romeo smirked, cracking his knuckles, "And when the time's right, we'll take out the guy who tried to hurt us."

"Don't get too excited, Romeo," Carla eased. "We must find out why, first."

On cue, the train's whistle blew.

Macao urged, "Come on, kids. You better get goin'. The train's about to leave."

"Right," Romeo nodded. He stepped into the train and waved to Macao and Yajima, "See ya, Dad!"

"Bye, Mr. Yajima!" Wendy waved, joining Romeo. "We'll be back soon!"

Carla followed suit, "Wish us the best."

Yajima and Macao watched as the train doors closed between them and Wendy's group. And by the time the train left the station, Macao shed a single tear from his eye.

"That's my boy," Macao sniffled. "He's all grown up."

Yajima chuckled, "What do you expect from the young generation? Children need to grow stronger to accomplish what they aim in their lives." He then cleared his throat, "Anyways, Macao… You wanna take a bite at 8-Island Restaurant and spend some quality time in the memory of the good old days? I need to unwind before Natsu begins tomorrow's schedule. Tomorrow's a big day, but tonight, we make merry."

Macao smiled back, "Why not, Yaj?"

* * *

Meanwhile, the Magic Express moved above the crowded streets of Crocus, through the borders of the outer wall, and into the wilderness of the outside world. Romeo was sleeping on one of the seats, and Wendy and Carla were watching the scenery pass by while talking to each other.

"…the Kingdom of Extalia is the nearest point from Mount Olympus," Carla explained. "It's also home to the entire Exceed population. Their queen, Chagot, the Goddess of Seasons, lives here."

"Chagot is the queen of Extalia?" Wendy asked in amazement.

Carla clarified, "She created Extalia thousands of years ago in the early days of Olympus's reign. She is also the creator of all Exceeds."

Wendy breathed, "Chagot created the Exceeds? That explains why she's called their queen."

"Precisely," Carla nodded. "And another fact: Chagot is by far the only Olympian a mortal can ever speak to, given they were invited as guests in her palace."

Then all of a sudden, a brilliant flash of light exploded outside the train and the scenery was replaced by a wall of clouds. That indicated that they had left the world below. It's no wonder the train was called the Magic Express…

At a pinnacle of a hillside, the train was seen gliding across the railways before vanishing into the clouds. And watching them from above, two familiar figures snickered with malicious glee, preparing to set their plan into motion.

* * *

It was at this moment that the train emerged from the clouds in a flash of light, gliding along a road of invisible tracks. The transport stopped, allowing Wendy, Romeo, and Carla to gander at the splendid structure in their presence. This was the Kingdom of Extalia, the birthplace of Exceeds and home to Chagot, the Goddess of Seasons. Extalia was a huge floating island a short distance from Mount Olympus, distributed with many lively towns, streets, marketplaces, and Exceeds going about their peaceful lives. In the highest point of the island, there stood Chagot's palace, made from a substance of pure silver— Romeo and Wendy were impressed by the architecture.

"Wow…" Wendy remarked, gesturing the gentle atmosphere. "The whole place is lively and filled with happiness."

"Step lively, kids," Carla motioned. "The sooner we enter my mother's palace, the better."

Wendy and Romeo gasped at Carla's revelation. Romeo asked, "Chagot's your mom?"

"I can explain," Carla chuckled. "Most Exceeds were created from heavenly clouds. Some, such as me, were born from a female Exceed's womb. I was born and raised in the palace, and I grew to love Chagot as my mother."

Wendy asked eagerly, "So that makes you a princess?"

"You could say that," Carla nodded. "But I rarely attend to any royal duties because my jobs took me all over Earth-land."

"You mean the time you became Wendy's housemaid?" Romeo asked.

"Yes," Carla admitted, "That's pretty much how I spend my time."

The three walked through the streets, the Exceeds playing, working, and laughing good-heartedly together. The afternoon deluge was always a pleasant social event. Often times, humans from all over would even come visit the place, since Extalia was always welcome to otherworldly guests. It was always heartwarming to see the Exceeds' eyes grow wide with wonder— the men, the women, and the children— and more importantly, nothing could go wrong as long as the Exceeds were protected and watched over by their goddess and creator, Chagot.

After a while, Wendy, Romeo, and Carla stopped in front of the entrance of Chagot's palace, where Extalia's Minister of State, Nadi, was waiting for them.

"Ah, Princess Carla!" Nadi greeted. "Welcome back to Extalia, my lady. It's good to see you again."

"Thank you, Minister Nadi," Carla complimented.

"Queen Chagot awaits the presence of you and the young Dragon Slayer in the throne room," Nadi informed, gesturing the guards to open the palace doors. With that, Wendy, Romeo, and Carla followed the guards into the depths of the large structure.

 **Later…**

Escorted by the guards, Wendy, Romeo, and Carla walked inside a particular room, and by the time the guards left, Wendy and Romeo took the opportunity to investigate the room. It was a very elegant area with vibrant decorations, scads of bookshelves, and open windows.

"Mother, it's an honor to meet you again," Carla said respectfully, bowing to the throne in front of her.

Wendy and Romeo snapped their attention to the throne, where they finally confronted the fabled Chagot. To Wendy and Romeo's surprise, the appearance of the Goddess of Seasons was much like every other Exceed. She was a tall figure with white fur and diamond patterned jewels around her face, as well as a piercing on her left ear. She wore a flowing, multilayered dress with excessive ruffles on the back, and a golden crown.

"Hi, there!" Romeo waved casually.

"Romeo! Show some respect!" Carla snapped.

"That is quite all right, Carla," Chagot said lightly. Her eyes roamed over the heroes and eventually stopped at the young Sky Dragon Slayer, "So, you are Wendy. Indeed, you have the innocence and bold spirit of your mother, a dear friend of mine."

"Grandeeney, the Goddess of the Sky," Wendy remembered, caressing her heart. "I'm her daughter, a demigoddess."

"You and Grandeeney are very close?" Romeo asked.

"She had the pleasure of assisting my daily seasonal deluges," Chagot answered softly, closing her paws together. "But now is not the time to reminisce old times." She added with a hopeful beam, "Has Igneel's son finally proven himself a true hero? If he does, his godhood will return, and he will rise to rejoin our kind."

Romeo shrugged, "I don't know. That's why he left for the Temple of Igneel to speak with his dad. He wanted to know if he's a true hero with all the monsters he took out."

Wendy giggled, "Mr. Yajima wasn't kidding that being a true hero takes a lot of work…"

"Highly understandable," Chagot nodded. "Natsu and his father had been quite busy of late. Therefore, it would seem that the task of informing you falls upon my shoulders. You must sense what I have come to suspect."

Carla asked, "What have you suspected?"

"Natsu's past endeavors prevented an immense effusion of ferocious demons, each terrifying and powerful than the last," Chagot explained. "As confirmed by a few of my fellow Olympians, those demons came from the darkest pits of the Underworld, sent by none other than Mard Geer Tartaros."

"Mard Geer Tartaros?" Wendy and Romeo exclaimed.

"The Lord of the Dead?" Wendy asked worriedly.

"The God of the Underworld?" Romeo added.

"That's what my suspicions led me to believe," Carla rubbed her chin. "The monsters that attacked Crocus and several parts of Fiore represented the Underworld, and someone from behind the scenes unleashed them. I've been aware of the monsters' appearance since the Ophiuchus incident."

"But there's no way! Why would Mard Geer send all these monsters to hurt Natsu?" Wendy questioned.

Romeo suggested, "It's like he had a grudge or something."

"Speaking of grudges, Mard seemed to be horribly jealous of Igneel since he became ruler of Olympus," Carla assumed. "Could it possibly be…?"

"That's what I feared," Chagot said worriedly. "Mard remained secretive in the Underworld for quite some time, never to reveal his secrets. If anything happened to Igneel's child…"

"I think we should go to the Underworld," Wendy suggested.

"What?!" Carla gasped at Wendy's suggestion. "Go to the Underworld? That's foolish!"

Wendy insisted, "We need to know what Mard's up to! What's if he's hiding something Natsu or Igneel didn't know anything about? This is our only chance! We have to go to the Underworld and stop Mard before he could do anything!"

Carla protested, "The Underworld is too dangerous for a child your age! Venturing deep into its dark depths would be suicide! I'm sorry, Wendy, but I'm putting my foot down!"

Romeo suggested to Carla, "If I were you, Carla, I'd do what Wendy says." He added with a frown, "Somebody's trying to hurt Natsu, and there's no way we're gonna let him get away with that."

"But… Wendy, I…" Carla tried to argue, but sighed at this insistence. "You're so eager to dive headfirst into the face of danger, aren't you?"

Wendy smiled, "You worry too much, Carla. We'll get out of any mess as long as we're together. There's nothing to be worried about."

Carla was comforted by Wendy's assurance. She replied, "You're right, Wendy. I trust in what you're doing."

Romeo smirked, "We're going to the Underworld and punch Mard straight in the face! And if he wants to fight Natsu, he'll have to get through us!"

"I trust you with utmost faith and confidence," Chagot smiled, touched by Wendy and Romeo's determination. "Mard is currently in the Underworld's Conference Room. I'll create a portal to get you there without being detected. May you go with the speed of Leo, daughter of Grandeeney."

"I'll do my best," Wendy nodded determinedly.

With a flicker of her paws, Chagot created an astral gateway in the form of a spiraling vortex.

"Let's go," Wendy motioned.

"Okay," Romeo nodded.

"I'll always be with you," Carla vowed. She turned to Chagot, "Wish me luck, Mother."

"I will," Chagot promised.

With nothing left to say, the three entered the magical doorway, before it disappeared into a flash of light. Chagot remained on her throne, smiling in appreciation. Wendy looked so much like her mother, and Carla was lucky to have found such a great friend.

This idyllic moment, however, was not to last. When she least expected it, a flicker of black dust flew and scattered all over the throne room. Upon seeing the small blackness, Chagot's eyes widened in suspicion, and then horror. No… It can't be!

Chagot turned around to find herself in front of Mard Geer, a sly, sinister expression crept in his face. "Hello, Chagot."

At that moment, Mard thrust his open palm. Chagot screamed, and tried to put her paws up to defend herself. A gigantic sea of thorns burst from the ground, destroying the throne room's majestic beauty, before they reached Chagot's body and restrained it tightly.

The last thing she saw was Mard's gleeful face, bent on universal domination.

The last things she heard were the terrified screams of the citizens of Extalia, the sounds of countless explosions, and Mard's triumphant cackle.

She faded into unconsciousness, not moving.


	16. Underworld Rumble

"This is getting ridiculous. That seasonal cat almost figured out my secret plan." The putrid breath of darkness peered over the Conference Room as Mard Geer sat at his throne with a bored expression. He groaned, "I should've known better than to trust your Element 4 dunces to eliminate Natsu's stooges this morning."

From a holographic protection in his large round table, Mard and his guests watched Phantom Lord's Element 4 facing Romeo, only to be defeated in more than half an hour. The Lord of the Dead gestured to the two guests in question— the masters of the Phantom Lord and Twilight Ogre guilds, Jose Porla and Banaboster.

"They're a disgrace to the Phantom Lord Guild," Jose stated angrily. "They're the strongest wizards in my guild, and this is how they repay me? They couldn't even stop one of Natsu's inferior friends! Natsu Dragneel garnered so much credibility that all of Fiore paid less attention to us! Phantom Lord lost the title of the most dominant magical force, because of him!"

Banaboster added, "And to make matters worse, days after the Snake Charmer was destroyed, Natsu came out of nowhere and beat the tar out of my guild. He says it's payback for all the abuse we heaped on that sad sack of dust named Fairy Tail since Gildarts died." He then shuddered, "I still had the nightmares! Thanks to Natsu, the whole guildhall was smashed to bits, and most members were sent to the hospital!"

"That is why we came here to the Underworld two days ago, Lord Mard Geer," Jose said. "We wish to seek council with you on how to get rid of Natsu and his meddling friends once and for all."

Banaboster agreed, "That's right. We can't stand Natsu. You can't stand him, either, so we're even. We want revenge. We want to take back our lives, our careers, our recognition."

"I've tried," Mard responded. "That accursed nephew of mine made mincemeat out of every demon I've sent. Azuma, Ophiuchus, Erigor, Kawazu, Yomazu, Trinity Raven… I've lost count."

Jose exclaimed, "Natsu is your nephew?"

Mard rubbed his head in agitation, "Details not important."

Banaboster laughed jokingly, "Pretty soon, the Underworld's gonna be standing room only."

"Shut up," Mard snarled lowly. "It's that Fire Dragon Slayer's fault, not mine. He thinks he's invincible."

"Hey, since he's a Dragon Slayer, maybe another one can take him," Banaboster suggested.

"What?!" Mard exclaimed in surprise, quickly darting from his throne. "What did you say?"

"I said, another Dragon Slayer can take him," Banaboster repeated. "Why not just bring back a Dragon Slayer who's already dead and save him the trouble?"

Mard took Banaboster's suggestion with much consideration. Then, his lips formed a menacing smirk. There was still time to dispose of his nephew before releasing the Eight Demon Gates after all.

"A dead Dragon Slayer…? Dead... Dead is good!" Mard beamed. "And I know just the man to do it."

The Lord of the Dead padded across the chamber— Jose and Banaboster followed him— and arrived at a steep ridge. Looking downwards, the three villains turned their attention to a green whirlpool of endless souls drifting aimlessly in the abyss.

"If you don't mind me asking…" Banaboster spoke hesitantly. "What's down there?"

"The Pit of Souls, the Underworld's deepest dungeon," Mard answered. "It's where I keep the souls of those who died. This time, I'm bringing out the mother of all bad guys."

"You don't say?" Jose raised an eyebrow.

Mard held out his hands, forming a sphere of emerald green fire on each. He dropped the flames into the Pit of Souls, and as a result, a pillar of pure black smoke radiated from the whirlpool. Mard watched as a lone figure stepped out of the cloud and touched the ground. He was a muscular man with long spiky hair dressed in a black sleeveless tunic with studded edges, brown pants, black boots, gloves, a wing-like ornament, and a black scarf around his neck. His most notable feature was the metal dots surrounding his eyebrows and forearms.

Mard laughed proudly at his work; he was confident that his newest pawn would finally get rid of Natsu. He began with a courteous smile, "Hello, Dragon Slayer. Welcome to the Underworld, the domain of Mard Geer Tartaros. Let's cut to the chase, shall we? Here's the deal I'm going to offer you. I brought you back to life, and in return, you will serve me. All for one little favor." He added excitedly, "Fight Natsu Dragneel, another Dragon Slayer… _to the death!"_

The man's reply was a fit of mocking laughter. Mard was confused at first. Finally, the man answered, "I'm 'Black Steel' Gajeel Redfox. I'm the Iron Dragon Slayer. I would never bow down and serve low-class scum like you." He then got into a fighting stance.

" **Do you have any idea who you're talking to?!** " Mard bellowed, his temper reaching a boiling point at Gajeel's refusal. " **I am the Lord of the Dead!** "

Gajeel scoffed with a grin, "No wonder no one wants to die."

" **YOU ARE FIRED!** " Almost immediately, Mard ignited his demonic powers to the next level and dashed with his fist raised.

" **Iron Dragon's Sword!** " Transforming his arm into a living blade of indestructible metal, Gajeel clashed his attack with Mard's, creating a shockwave that caused the Conference Room to rumble. In an intense duel that lasted less than five minutes, the two smashed and blocked each other with punches, kicks, and magical attacks, the walls and jagged rocks fracturing with each impact.

"Scatter!" Jose screamed, and he and Banaboster ran off.

It was at that instant when Wendy, Romeo, and Carla emerged from the swirling vortex, witnessing the ongoing commotion.

"What's going on here?" Romeo questioned. "Who's this guy fighting the other guy?"

Carla gasped, pointing at Mard, "I know him! That face… That figure… It's Mard Geer Tartaros, Lord of the Dead!"

Wendy exclaimed, "It is really him?!"

" **YOU!** " Mard yelled, noticing Wendy and her friends.

" **Iron Dragon's Club!** " Gajeel transformed his arm into an extendable iron club and slammed it across Mard's cheek. The impact sent him skidding across the chamber and crashing into the wall. Mard managed to pry himself from the wall just in time to block another **Iron Dragon's Club** with his palm.

" **Rose Explosion!** " Mard threw his hand and generated countless white rose-shaped explosions that decimated Gajeel and sent him away. The Iron Dragon Slayer landed unceremoniously on the floor, moderately injured. Mard moved in to finish the job, but was disappointed when Wendy and Romeo stood between them.

"Leave him alone!" Romeo shouted.

"What're you doin', kids?" Gajeel grunted, trying to push himself up. "Get outta here. You don't stand a chance against him."

Wendy assured firmly, "Don't worry, mister. We'll protect you. You can count on it!"

Gajeel chuckled weakly, admiring Wendy and Romeo's bravery, "For a bunch of kids, you've got some spunk."

"Mard Geer Tartaros, we'd like to have a word with you," Wendy demanded. "Why are you trying to kill Natsu with all the monsters you sent?"

"Goodness gracious, are you just that clever to figure it out!" Mard laughed mockingly. "That's right, my dear. I tried to kill Natsu with all the demons in my disposal as the first step of my ultimate plan. You received an A+ for passing the test, Miss Wendy Marvell and Mr. Romeo Conbolt."

Romeo gasped, "You knew our names?"

"That's right," Mard chuckled sinisterly. "You're the sidekicks of Igneel's little boy, aren't you? You're Wendy, a human born from Granny's womb, and Romeo, the son of a washout wizard who became a wimpy master of a wimpy guild."

"Wimpy?!" Romeo glared at Mard for insulting his father. "Take that back!"

Ignoring Romeo, Mard continued, "You kids were very smart in knowing the fruit of my grand scheme. Well, at least HALF of it. But the bad news is…" He added maliciously, his dark aura glowing, "This is the part where you **WON'T** live to tell the tale. This is also the part where **YOU WILL DIE!** " Wendy and Romeo staggered back from Mard's erupting aura.

" **Iron Dragon's Roar!** " At the last moment, Gajeel breathed a gust of metal shards that collided with Mard's chest. The Lord of the Dead was thrown backwards by the attack and shot out of the Conference Room, providing them enough time to escape unnoticed.

"Let's get outta here!" Wendy cried. "We need to warn the others!"

"I saw a gateway not far from here," Gajeel stated. "It can lead us outta the Underworld! Quick, follow me!" With that, Wendy, Romeo, and Carla followed the Iron Dragon Slayer out of the chamber.

 **Ten minutes later…**

The group took a pathway to the central cavern of the Underworld to the far left. Once they reached a safe chamber, the heroes settled themselves, panting heavily and recovering slightly.

Wendy admired, wiping sweat from her forehead, "You're really good, mister. Are you some kind of Dragon Slayer?"

"Yeah," Gajeel nodded. "Well, I used to be, until I was sent to the Underworld. The name's Gajeel, by the way."

"I'm Wendy," Wendy introduced herself. "I'm a Sky Dragon Slayer."

"Romeo the name," Romeo added. "I use Rainbow Fire."

"My name is Carla," Carla added. "I'm an Exceed."

"I had a feelin' we're destined to meet," Gajeel said smugly. "You're gonna need a guide if you're gonna blow this joint."

"Thanks," Romeo acknowledged. "That makes me feel so much better. I thought we'll be stuck here forever."

"How did you get yourself in the Underworld, Gajeel?" Wendy asked.

"I'll make this short and sweet," Gajeel cleared his throat. "It all started when I was a wizard in Phantom Lord, until Master Jose betrayed me and left me for dead…"

* * *

Back at the Conference Room, Mard recovered from Gajeel's sneak attack and was pacing around the room irritably. Jose and Banaboster were lucky to have survived the destructive battle, and they returned to the chamber.

Mard snarled, "Those idiots! Discovering my ultimate plan was bad enough, but those brats escaping with a Dragon Slayer I was supposed to pit against my nephew was even worse!"

Jose asked, "Why don't you kill him yourself?"

"Oh, sure, I would've killed Natsu myself when I had the chance, but nooooooooo!" Mard yelled sarcastically. "Igneel and the Olympians would be suspicious! My plans will be ruined! But not if we ruin _them_ first!"

Mard snapped his fingers, and from the windows emerged the head of Deliora, his hungry growls vibrating against the walls. "Deliora, find them!" he ordered. The demon responded to his master's call and ran off in a hurry. Mard turned to Jose and Banaboster, "You two, rally up your guilds! Go, now!"

"Yes, sir!" Jose and Banaboster complied Mard's orders.

* * *

Due to Gajeel's well-played shortcut, Wendy, Romeo, and Carla managed to reach the small gateway that served as an exit from the Underworld and into the mortal world, in the form of a glowing staircase. "Well, that was easy," Romeo remarked.

Gajeel stated, "Ever since I'm trapped in the Underworld, I've known every shortcut and every direction."

Carla sighed in relief, "We finally made it to the exit."

Wendy agreed, "Now we can go back home."

Gajeel chuckled confidently, "I guess I'll have to thank Mard for bringing me back to life. Just a short walk upstairs and I'm kissin' mortal life again!"

That momentary façade was interrupted when wizards from Phantom Lord and Twilight Ogre blocked their path.

Gajeel groaned in annoyance, "You gotta be kiddin' me!"

"Wizards from Phantom and Twilight!" Romeo cried.

"They're trying to prevent us from escaping!" Carla shouted.

"Not today! **Sky Dragon's Wave Wind!** " With a wave of her hand, Wendy summoned a powerful tornado that instantly engulfed all of the wizards. The others watched in awe as the Phantom Lord and Twilight Ogre guildmates scattered into the air and flew miles away.

"That was cool!" Gajeel commented. "Not as cool as my Dragon Slayer Magic, but still! You're a tough kid!"

Wendy giggled at that compliment, "Why, thank you! I've trained a lot, after all."

"That was _too_ easy. What could get worse than that?" Romeo wondered.

Just then, a resonating snarl rebounded against the shadows of the Underworld. Wendy and her company turned towards the noise and struggled to stay on their feet as the behemoth dropped from the air and rattled the area.

Carla recognized, "That's Deliora, the guardian of the entrance to the Underworld! Mard must've sent him after us!"

"Well, well," Gajeel grinned, cracking his knuckles. "So Mard's pet dog decided to chase us here? This is gonna be interesting!"

Wendy said, "I guess we have no choice. We have to fight him!"

Romeo agreed, "Might as well have another workout in the Underworld! This'll be a big story to tell back home!"

"Let's go!" Wendy, Romeo, and Gajeel shouted in unison, and they ran in to fight Deliora. Their combination of attacks kept dealing damage to the spiked demon. Deliora leapt into the air and nearly smashed all of them with his massive claws. The shockwave sent them flying back with great force, but Wendy summoned a gust of wind to help the group skid to their feet.

" **Iron Dragon's Sword!** " Gajeel spun in their air with his sword-transformed arm, slicing Deliora's skin in a fury.

" **Yellow Fire: Big Bang Meteor Punch!** " Romeo kept striking Deliora's chest with his yellow fire-pulsing fists repeatedly.

Wendy was about to strike Deliora's head when she saw his claws coming in at her, about to tear her body apart. Wendy braced her arms and legs out, stopping them but leaving her vulnerable to Deliora's mouth. The demon's head leaned back and was about to come in at Wendy, his fangs open wide. She immediately flipped herself out from between the demon's claws and leaped into the air. Charging up, she unleashed a shuffle of Sky Dragon Slayer spells that smashed Deliora multiple times, causing him to fall to the ground.

"Now's your chance!" Carla shouted to the others. "Finish him!"

" **Shattering Light: Sky Drill!** "

" **Karma Demon: Iron God Sword!** "

" **Rainbow Fire Ultimate: Rainbow Connection!** "

Wendy, Romeo, and Gajeel unleashed their ultimate attacks against Deliora, the spells decimating and grievously injuring his body. The demon collapsed to the ground, moving no longer.

"We did it!" Wendy cheered, jumping into the air.

"Couldn't have finished it without that crazy stunt you pulled," Gajeel remarked. "I gotta say, kid, you're just plain crazy."

"Look who's talking!" Romeo retorted, elbowing him, and causing the rest of the group to laugh.

" **Not so fast!** " a voice boomed.

In a loud explosion, Wendy, Romeo, Carla, and Gajeel found themselves grasped by dark thorns erupting from the ground. The submission was so tightening that the four cried in pain, feeling their bodies squeezed.

With a monumental effort, the four titled their heads to get a better view as Mard Geer Tartaros came up to them with a sinister smirk. He chuckled, "You wouldn't think I would let you escape from _my_ world, do you?"

Romeo grunted, "No! It can't be!"

Wendy cried, "How did you know we were here?!"

Gajeel replied, "Because it's _his_ Underworld. Mard is its god."

"Oh, don't worry, my friends," Mard assured. "I'll escort you out of the Underworld. In fact, I've got bigger plans for you." His face contorted with false sympathy towards Gajeel, "Especially you, Gajeel. Since I'm being such a nice god, I'll let you return to the mortal world. But it won't be a very pleasant homecoming!"

The Lord of the Dead broke into laughter as he wrenched his fist, the thorns tightening their grip on Wendy and her friends as a result.

A large squeeze, and they fainted unconscious.

* * *

"…Natsu ain't gonna know what hit him!"

Wendy, Romeo, Carla, and Gajeel woke up in a cold place, and they lay on a stone floor with their arms and legs held tightly by a great force. The light was bright due to the lampposts beside them, casting grid lines of shadow on the wall. They were imprisoned in a hidden storage room, with their arms and legs strapped by Mard Geer's thorns.

By the time they regained consciousness, three silhouettes emerged from behind. They turned to see Mard Geer, with Kain Hikaru and Rustyrose beside him.

"Rest assured, my lord, Natsu will never find them in here," Rustyrose promised.

"Yeah!" Kain agreed. "This Domus Flau storage room's somethin' you ain't gonna find in a million years! It'll take a miracle to find it."

"Nice work, boys," Mard congratulated, clapping his hands. "I _love_ the way your slimy little minds work!"

"All in a day's work," Kain and Rustyrose nodded, accepting their boss's appreciation after so many failures.

Mard turned to his captives and said, "I must admit, you and your posse got off on a shaky foot with my pet, but… I couldn't help but admire your talents. I mean, with all the stuff you did under Natsu, you were begging to come into the Underworld for any exchange of top secret information from me, thanks to Chagot's little help."

Carla asked incredulously, "You knew we were going to the Underworld?!"

Wendy stammered, "B-But how did you…?"

"It never hurts to have friends in high places," Mard gestured to Kain and Rustyrose, who played an important part in his scheme. "All it takes is a little manipulation, just a single movement, and BOOM! The strategy plays out. I'm sure Chagot and her little creations were glad of the accommodations I gave them…"

Carla's eyes widened in horror. "What have you done with Mother?! What did you do to Extalia?!"

"Oh, I just gave the cat family a no-expense trip down below," Mard explained with a jeer. "They're trapped in a giant thorn dome I've created around Extalia, and no one ever found out or got out! Now Extalia just got turned into Ex-Thornia, and when Chagot changes the weather, instead of spring with flowers, it'll be spring with thorns!" He concluded with maniacal laughter.

Carla growled, an intense rage burning in her stomach for the way Mard treated her homeland and her mother. "How dare you…"

"It won't be long now," Mard smiled cruelly. "The time will draw near. I will finally have my long awaited revenge against Igneel and all of Olympus for abandoning me to rule this sad excuse of an Underworld!" He glared at Wendy and her friends, "The only people that can trip me up are standing in front of me."

"What are you gonna do?" Gajeel growled. "Send us back to the Underworld?"

"Not this time. Instead you will learn, there are things _worse_ than death," Mard replied.

"What do you mean?" Romeo asked nervously.

"In twenty-four hours, you'll find out soon enough," Mard answered with a grin. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a whole lot of preparations to arrange for an upcoming ceremony, where I just can't wait to be king."

"You won't get away with this, Mard Geer!" Wendy screamed angrily. "Natsu will stop you! You can't beat him! You never will!"

Mard was unfazed by Wendy's threat. He replied with an ominous chuckle, "Oh, I think I will…"

With a hiss, the Lord of the Dead and his minions disappeared, and the storage room's lampposts were extinguished. The area was plunged into darkness, but the thunderous echoing of Mard's evil laughter remained.

"Well, this sucks," Gajeel grumbled. "How are we ever gonna get outta here?"


	17. A Fall from Grace

The kiss of pure moonlight peered up over the hills, and sent its rays into the Temple of Igneel. Once again, the consciousness of the God of Fire possessed the temple's giant statue. He listened to Natsu, who explained everything that happened to him over the years— defeating dozens of Underworld demons, saving many innocent lives, and gaining the greatest recognition a hero deserved. Natsu performed several reenactments of his best fights, with Happy as his supporting actor. With every explanation, Igneel's interest was piqued with excitement and curiosity.

"Ha-ha! You should've been there, Dad! I was amazing!" Natsu laughed excitedly. He wrestled with Happy, who had been playing the part of the monsters he fought. "I grappled Arlock the Avatar, mangled with God Serena the Hybrid Theory! Just like Yaj told me, I analyzed the situation, controlled my strength, and KICKED!" He threw a pretend punch at Happy.

"Ooooh! You got me!" Happy winced, pretending to die, before he fell into a trough of water. "I am the bad guy, and I've been defeated!"

"The crowds went wild!" Natsu made cheering and whistling sounds, with Happy swimming in the trough and spitting water while holding a flag spelling Natsu's name. The Fire Dragon Slayer then bowed, "Thank you, thank you."

"Ha!" Igneel laughed, remarking his son's success. "You're doing great, son! You're doing your old man proud."

"That's right, Lord Igneel. But Wendy and Romeo kicked butt too, you know," Happy reminded Igneel of Wendy and Romeo's role in helping Natsu in his endeavors. He then smiled, "After everything Natsu's been through, and all the things he's done, I think he's ready."

"Ready?" Igneel raised an eyebrow.

"I'm more ready than I've ever been, Dad," Natsu smiled. "I've been waiting for this day for a long time."

"Oh, really?" Igneel wondered. "What day is that, son?"

Natsu explained, brimming with hope and confidence, "The day I rejoined the gods."

Happy agreed, "Aye. He deserved to come home to Olympus again."

Igneel chuckled slightly and responded, "You've done wonderfully. You really have, my boy." His joyful expression turned sad, "But unfortunately, you're just not there yet. You haven't proven yourself a true hero."

"Wait, what?" Natsu exclaimed in disbelief. "After everything I've done, I'm not a true hero?"

"Sad as it is, yes," Igneel sighed deeply. "Which comes with a question: do you think that being a hero means that you enjoy fighting? That you live a life of luxury? That you like putting yourself and others into dangerous situations? Being a hero doesn't mean you go looking for trouble or seeking glory. It's being able to handle trouble _when_ it comes to you. And when all is said and done, the only thing you lack is something that doesn't measure a true hero." He paused to let it sink in, "Yourself."

"W-W-What?" Natsu stammered, feeling himself tearing up. "B-B-But Dad, I… I… I did my best…"

Igneel admitted sadly, "I'm sorry, Natsu. You just haven't done enough. You're not a true hero."

"But Dad, I've beaten every single monster I've come up against," Natsu gave every bit of detail in his prestigious hero career, trying his best to fight back his emotional breakdown. "I've saved millions of innocent lives dozens of times over. I've done more than three hours a day worth of charity work. I stopped natural disasters, reduced damages…" His heart weighed with anguish, and his voice began to crack, "I'm… I'm… I'm the most famous person in all of Fiore! I'm… I'm…" His voice rose to a loud scream, " **I'M AN ACTION FIGURE!** " To emphasize his point, Natsu took out an action figure based on himself and gave it a squeeze.

Igneel shook his head solemnly, "I'm afraid being famous isn't the same as being a true hero."

"What more can I do?" Natsu asked, desperate to know the answer.

"It's something you have to discover for yourself," Igneel replied, extending his hand and touching his son's cheek.

"But how can I—"

"Look inside your heart."

With a boom, the Statue of Igneel became inanimate again, extinguishing the braziers' fire, much to Natsu's dismay.

"Dad, wait!"

Natsu's cry of protest didn't reach his father. The statue remained lifeless and refused to move. And the temple was swallowed in complete darkness. He sank to his knees, clenched his fists, and cried out with a long inarticulate scream, slamming the floor in tremendous fits of rage. He pounded the floor repeatedly, the loud noises accompanied by his cries of frustration, until finally, the earth cracked beneath him.

Seconds later, the rage gave way to sorrow, and Natsu's voice changed from a tone of frustration to a heavy sob. Happy went over to his weeping friend and wrapped his paws around him, doing the very best he can to cheer him up.

Natsu did everything he could. He saved innocent lives. He fought evil beings. He gave service to the community. Yet it had not been enough.

And now, he felt more lost than before.

* * *

The next day at Crocus, a tour guide named Jason was leading a group of tourists, passing by a set of elaborate golden gates. "On your left is the Fire Dragon Mansion, home of the world's number one super-cool hero, Natsu Dragneel! The next stop is the Pecs and Flex Gift Shop, where you can pick the great hero's 30-minute workout DVD, _Burnin' Buns._ Workout DVDs are **SO COOL!** "

Inside the mansion, Natsu posed for a picture being painted on a vase by Reedus Jonah, a wizard from Fairy Tail, wearing armor forged from Lullaby's remains. Yajima paced around, reading a schedule of today's events.

Yajima informed, "At 1:00, you have a meeting with Shonen Magazine Studios, where they'll discuss producing a movie based on your adventures. I heard Mr. Haru Glory wanted to co-star with you."

"Yaj…" Natsu groaned, slightly moving his body. What Igneel told him last night started to eat at him again.

"I told you, don't move!" Reedus snapped, forcing Natsu to resume his pose. "How I am supposed to make a picture of you if you keep moving around?"

Yajima kept on reading the schedule, "At 2:00, the Magic Council requested you to thaw out the Sun Giants' village with your flames…"

"Yaj…" Natsu gritted his teeth, trying not to lose his cool.

"…and at 3:00, you'll get a girdle from Dimaria Yesta of the Alvarez Empire," Yajima concluded.

"Yaj, what's the point?!" Natsu screamed angrily, finally breaking his pose and throwing his Lullaby-crafted sword and shield down.

The Fire Dragon Slayer's movement caused Reedus to swipe a straight line over the vase, ruining the painting. Frustrated, the artist scribbled on the portrait and yelled, " **THAT'S IT!** "

Before Reedus could storm out, Yajima blocked his path. "W-Wait! Don't leave!" The artist responded by dumping his palate on the old man's face, painting clown makeup all over it. When Reedus left, Yajima took a napkin and cleaned his face up. He turned to Natsu, "What do you mean, 'what's the point?' You wanted to go home to Olympus, don't you?"

"Well, yeah…" Natsu replied irritably, removing the Lullaby armor and throwing it away. "But this stuff doesn't seem to be getting me anywhere."

"You can't give up now," Yajima argued. "Everyone's counting on you. Wendy, Romeo, and Happy are counting on you. _I'm_ counting on you."

"I gave this everything I had," Natsu sighed sadly, sitting down on a sofa. "How am I ever gonna go home now?"

Yajima sat beside Natsu, lifting his chin. He sympathized, "Listen to me, Natsu. I'm seen it all. And I'm telling the truth; you've got something I've never seen before."

"Really?" Natsu asked hopefully. "Is there anything else I can do?"

"Would I ever lie to the best student I ever had since Gildarts?" Yajima chuckled. "You can still make it there. There's always another chance to be a true hero. There is _nothing_ you can't do, kid."

Suddenly, the mansion's front doors slammed open, and in came a bunch of crazy, screaming fangirls. "It's him!" They rushed in and crowded Natsu, screaming and pulling some of his clothes and body parts. "I touched his elbow! I touched his hair! I got his scarf!" They collapsed on top of Natsu in hopes of kissing or hugging him, even getting some of his memorabilia. The Fire Dragon Slayer was freaked out; monsters and villains were one thing. Crazy fangirls were another!

"Yaj, help!" Natsu wheezed, pressured by the fangirls' excessive hyperactivity.

Yajima nodded, "Okay. Time for Escape Plan Beta."

Natsu complied, "Gotcha."

Yajima gave a loud whistle, causing the fangirls to cease their activity. To their surprise and confusion, Natsu disappeared. "Hey! Where is he?"

"There he goes! On the verandah!" Yajima pointed out the front door. The fangirls didn't waste any time as they dashed outside, going after Natsu in a screaming frenzy. Yajima gave a devilish smirk, laughing as he followed the fangirls to ensure that they've disappeared from Natsu's sight.

When the mansion was empty, the door appeared to be closing all by itself. In reality, Lucy Heartfilia was behind it, as she pushed the door closed. With a cautious smile, she looked around to see that the coast was clear, and began searching the room for Natsu, who found a place to hide from those crazy fangirls.

Her fortunes were answered when she saw two familiar sandals under a curtain. Grabbing a cord, she said, "Let's see, what could be behind curtain number one?" She pulled it, revealing a surprised and nearly messy Natsu behind the curtain.

"Lucy!" the salmon-haired youth yelped.

"Looks like somebody's got a group of admirers," Lucy admired with a giggle, pointing at Natsu's lipstick-marked cheek. "It's alright, Natsu. The sea of crazy fangirls has ebbed."

"Thanks," Natsu laughed sheepishly, wiping the lipstick off his cheek. "Gee, i-i-it's great to see you again after that giant snake affair. I-I-I-I missed you."

Lucy sat down on the couch and asked, "So, this is what heroes do when they take a vacation?"

"Who, me?" Natsu blushed. "Oh, no, no, no, no. I'm no hero."

"Sure you are," Lucy smiled slyly. "I mean, everybody in Fiore thinks you're the greatest thing since the first Dragon Slayer was born."

Natsu chuckled at Lucy's statement, "I know, it's crazy. Y'know, I can't go anywhere without being mobbed. I'm so fabulously heroic that a bunch of fans tried to ambush me. So it's hard for me to go on vacation."

"How about now?" Lucy suggested. "You think your grandpa would go…" She picked up a rubber toy of Yajima and squeezed its eyes out, making a squeak. "…berserk if you took the rest of the day off? Same goes for Wendy and Romeo."

"Speaking of Wendy and Romeo, I haven't seen them in a while," Natsu rubbed his chin. "Where are they?"

"They took a vacation to Extalia. They'll be back first thing in the morning," Lucy replied. Natsu was completely unaware that Wendy, Romeo, Carla, and Gajeel were locked away in a hidden storage room in Domus Flau, far from the watchful eyes of the gods of Olympus. Lucy knew of the capture of Natsu's friends, considering she's been following Mard Geer's schemes since day one.

"Gee, I don't know," Natsu rubbed his head nervously. "Yaj's got the rest of the day pretty much booked…"

"Yaj, Schmaj," Lucy scoffed. "Just follow me, cut the window, round the dumbbells, you lift up the back wall, and we're gone."

Natsu paused in deep thought, before he smiled. Lucy had a point; he needed a day off.


	18. I Won't Say I'm in Love

Natsu and Lucy snuck out of the mansion, out the back wall and into the city to spend the rest of the whole day together. A little dining, a little dancing, a little merry music… it was all he needed to get his mind off things. His father's advice took a terrible toll last night; the Fire Dragon Slayer proved time and time again that he's the best hero anyone could ask for, and going through danger and back… and now his chances to return home to Mount Olympus were dashed. Natsu felt his heart lament, but by the second Lucy came, he began to ferment his grief into happiness. Thanks to Lucy, the conversation at the temple was complete behind him.

The two walked down the stairs to a majestic courtyard, illuminated by the clear moonlight. Natsu laughed, "Wow, what a day! First that restaurant by the bay…"

Lucy nodded, "Uh-huh."

"…and then that play at the Scheherazade Theater, that… Francesca thing?" Natsu noted. "Man, and I thought I had problems!"

"I know!" Lucy giggled.

The two continued laughing, until they stopped and looked at each other with admiring smiles. It would appear that they're in some sort of a trance they would never get out of.

"Lucy!" a voice hissed, interrupting the moment. Lucy turned to see two little birds sitting on a birdbath, whose heads popped into Kain Hikaru and Rustyrose's. Rustyrose snapped, "Stop fooling around!"

Kain whispered, "Yeah! Get the goods, sister!"

When Natsu turned, the two minions turned back into birds, whistling innocently. That was the one thing she hated about her job; being reminded of her objective, especially since she's having so much fun.

Natsu grinned, "I didn't know taking a day off could be so much fun."

"Yeah. Neither did I," Lucy admitted. She found her chance to expose Natsu's weakness. She never wanted to hurt him, but if that's what it took to finish her service with Mard Geer Tartaros…

Natsu chuckled, "Thanks, Lucy."

"Oh, don't thank me just yet," Lucy blushed, a hint of strange feelings overcoming her. If Natsu knew of her true colors, she wouldn't be thankful at all. Her exertion led her to trip and fall off the stairs, but Natsu caught her in his arms.

"Oops," Natsu chuckled. "Careful."

"Sorry, weak ankles," Lucy said sheepishly.

"Really?" Natsu asked. "Then you'd better sit down." He picked her up, carried her over to a bench, put her down, and sat beside her. Lucy's blush intensified; her emotions blazed in her out of all control. She was determined more than ever to win her freedom, and yet…

"So, uh… do you have any problems with things like this?" Lucy asked, stretching out her leg and holding her foot right in front of Natsu's face.

"Uh…" Natsu tried to answer.

"Weak ankles, I mean," Lucy corrected.

"Oh. Uh, no. Not really," Natsu placed her leg down.

"No weaknesses whatsoever? No trick knee?" Lucy inched closer to Natsu's body with a sly smile. "No ruptured disks?"

Natsu blushed at Lucy's perkiness. He stood up and replied, "No, I'm not. I'm fit as a fiddle."

Lucy admired with a sigh, "Wow, Natsu. You're perfect as they say."

"Thanks. Much appreciated," Natsu complimented. He picked up a pebble and skipped it over the fountain, only for the pebble to knock into the statue of Aquarius in the middle. The impact knocked the statue's arms off, breaking them. "Whoops!"

Lucy came over to join him, "It looks better that way. I mean, it really does. I never liked Aquarius, anyway. She's very scary and sarcastic."

Natsu and Lucy looked at each other again and smiled, and then came the blush. A shooting star blazed across the night sky, as if signaling the birth of something wonderful since the two enjoyed each other's company.

Natsu broke the ice, "You know, when I was a kid, I would've given anything to be exactly like everybody else."

"You wanted to be petty and dishonest?" Lucy looked away, her smile turned into a frown. She felt guilty for wanting to spend time with Natsu in the first place. Her dishonesty won her over.

"Everybody's not like that," Natsu argued.

"Yes, they are," Lucy countered.

"You're not like that," Natsu smiled warmly.

"How do you know what I'm like?" Lucy was doubtful of his words.

Natsu replied, "All I know is that you're the most amazing person with weak ankles I've ever met."

That compliment sounded so cute when the blonde-haired girl heard it. Backing away with a bashful smile, she yelped when her back was poked by an arrow of a small statue of Mavis, the Goddess of Love and Kindness.

"Lucy, whenever I'm with you, I don't feel so…" Natsu took a deep breath, before he finished, "…alone."

"Sometimes it's better to be alone," Lucy confessed, looking down.

"What do you mean?" Natsu asked.

"Nobody can hurt you," Lucy answered.

Natsu was surprised. It sounded like Lucy had a troublesome past that took a wrong turn, and the more she remembered, the more pain she felt. He knew how she felt, since he himself felt emotional pain in the past. Well, perhaps it was time to assure Lucy that he can change things for the better.

"Lucy?" Natsu sat down next to her and took her hands, his eyes burning with strong sincerity. "I would, never, ever, _ever…_ hurt you."

"And I don't wanna hurt you," Lucy whispered, placing a hand on Natsu's. The two gazed at each other, this time leaning closer. "So, let's both do ourselves a favor and…" He didn't seem to listen. Then again, even Lucy wasn't listening to herself. "…stop this… before… we…"

The lips inched closer, each eagerly awaiting the other's touch. And then…

…a bright light exploded, startling the two. They looked up to see a scowling Yajima flown by Happy. A pith helmet shone a searchlight on Natsu and Lucy, his wings impersonating the propeller of a helicopter, while Yajima held a megaphone over his mouth.

" **Alright, break it up! Break it up! Party's over!** " Yajima shouted, his voice speaking through the megaphone.

"You see, Yaj? I told you I'd find him!" Happy cried.

" **Where were you, Natsu?!** " Yajima snapped at Natsu. " **We've been looking all over for you!** "

"Calm down, old geezer!" Lucy shouted in annoyance. "I brought him out here, so it's all my fault!"

" **I'm already a thousand times upset, lady, so don't make it worse!** " Yajima yelled at her face. Scoffing, the blonde-haired girl reached Happy's pith helmet and turned the searchlight off.

"How's your date, Natsu?" Happy asked with a sly grin. "You two were having _so_ much fun."

"Without letting me know about it!" Yajima countered angrily. "Do you know how many planned events I had to cancel when he's gone?!"

Natsu chuckled blushingly, "Well, I…."

Happy pouted, "Awww, c'mon! Natsu's just having fun! Get a grip!"

"Skipping out on me was _his_ idea of fun?! All the more reason why he needs to focus!" Yajima bellowed. He turned to Natsu and grabbed his sweater, "And as for you, you slacker… I'm giving you a proper punishment for neglecting your duties! You're going to Domus Flau, and you're going to be put through the workout of your life!" He pointed at Happy, "Now get on the cat!"

"Okay, okay, I'm going," Natsu groaned. "So much for a day off…"

"I'm sorry for the trouble, Natsu," Lucy apologized.

"Ah, he'll get over it," Natsu pouted. He picked a flower from a nearby bush and gave it to Lucy, who accepted it. She then blushed when the Fire Dragon Slayer kissed her cheek.

" **MOVE!** " Yajima screamed impatiently. "Move, move, move, move, move, move! **MOVE!** "

Smiling goofily, Natsu moved backwards, waving goodbye to Lucy. Happy grabbed Natsu's back, with Natsu grabbing Yajima's body, and the Exceed flew the two away. The salmon-haired boy's gaze never wavered, and his smile never faded.

Happy wasn't watching where he was going, due to the fact that he smiled admirably of the blossoming relationship between Natsu and Lucy. This caused Yajima to dodge a few branches along the way. He shouted, "Hey, watch it! Watch it! Whoa! Watch it!" He grabbed Happy's head and spun it around, "Keep your goo-goo eyes on the—"

 **BAM!** A branch hit Yajima's head hard, falling off Natsu's grip and into a rock under the bushes. He groaned, "That's the problem with the young generation. Why can't they watch where they're go…" He then fainted unconsciously.

Lucy sat on the edge of the fountain and stared at the flower the salmon-haired boy gave her. She felt a warm feeling of comfort and joy inside, something she hadn't felt in many years. Lucy then paused, realizing what she was doing. She sighed, "Oh, what's the matter with me? You'd think a girl would learn…" She stood up and began to sing.

Lucy: **_If there's a prize for rotten judgment  
I guess I've already won that_**

She spun away the miniature statue of Mavis.

 ** _No man is worth the aggravation_**

When Lucy passed by a few statues, they came to life, revealing themselves to be the Muses.

 ** _That's ancient history— been there, done that!_**

Lucy threw away the flower, but Brandish caught it.

Muses: **_Who d'ya think you're kiddin'?  
He's the Earth and Heaven to you  
Try to keep it hidden  
Honey, we can see right through you_**

Lucy: **_Oh, no…_**

Muses: **_Girl, you can't conceal it  
We know how you feel  
And who you're thinkin' of_**

Lucy: **_Oh, no  
No chance, no way,  
I won't say it, no, no_**

Muses: **_You swoon, you sigh  
Why deny it, uh-oh?_**

Lucy: **_It's too cliché  
I won't say I'm in love_**

Muses: **_Shoo-doo, shoo-doo, oo-oo-oo_**

Lucy: **_I thought my heart had learned its lesson  
It feels so good when you start out_**

Muses: **_Ahhh..._**

Lucy: **_My head is screamin', get a grip, girl  
Unless you're dyin' to cry your heart  
Oh…_**

Muses: **_You keep on denyin'  
Who you are and how you're feelin'  
Baby, we're not buyin'  
Hon, we saw you hit the ceilin'_**

Lucy: **_Oh, no…_**

Muses: **_Face it like a grownup  
When you gonna own up that you got, got, got it bad_**

Lucy, doing her best to ignore the Muses' advice, jumped from rock to rock across the fountain.

Lucy: **_Oh, no  
No chance, no way,  
I won't say it, no, no_**

Muses: **_Give up, but give in  
Check the grin, you're in love_**

Lucy was about to fall down, but she grabbed on something. She looked up with a warm smile. For a moment, she thought Natsu came back, but to her disappointment, it was actually a statue of him.

Lucy: **_This scene won't play  
I won't say I'm in love_**

Muses: **_You're doin' flips,  
Read our lips, you're in love_**

Lucy: **_You're way off base, I won't say it (Muses: Shoo-doo, shoo-doo, she won't say in love)  
Get off my case, I won't say it_**

Muses: **_Girl, don't be proud  
It's okay, you're in love_**

Lucy sat down on the fountain, looking at the flower. She then put it in her ear. It looked... lovely.

Lucy: **_Oh…  
At least at loud,  
I won't say I'm in…  
…love…_**

Muses: **_Shoo-doo, shoo-doo, shoo-doo, shoo-doo  
Sha-la-la-la-la-la…  
Aaahh_**

Lucy lied down on the fountain with a happy sigh, and the Muses sighed in admiration of the blonde-haired girl's feelings. She hated to admit it, but she accepted one fact.

She was in love with Natsu.

But then, a statue at the middle of the fountain turned red and melted into lava. The sudden noise woke Lucy from her daydream and compelled her to sit up. Emerging from the smelted remains of the statue was Mard Geer Tartaros with a glass of wine in his hand.

"Hello, Lucifer, I came to check in on you," Mard greeted, drinking his glass. "Have you discovered the weak link in the Fire Dragon Slayer's chain?"

Lucy replied, "Well, I did get something."

Mard beamed with hope, "Really? What is it?"

"My resignation!" Lucy answered with a defiant shout. Mard was surprised by the tone of her voice. "I won't do any more dirty jobs, appearances, spying on people, and butting myself into other people's businesses ever again! I quit."

"Wait, I'm sorry. Do you mind running that by me again?" Mard asked incredulously, rubbing his ear. "I must've gotten a chuck of brimstone wedged in my ear or something…"

"Okay, I'll make this loud and clear," Lucy clarified angrily. "Get yourself another lackey to do your dirty work. I quit!"

"You can't quit," Mard glared at Lucy's defiance.

"Sure I can. Read my lips," Lucy motioned Mard to look at her face, before she screamed even louder than before, " **I QUIT!** "

"Lucy, Lucy, Lucy…" Surprisingly, Mard's smile was now exaggerated to nearly comical proportions. He walked up to her with a cruel chuckle, "My sweet, deluded little minion. Aren't we forgetting one teensy-weensy but ever so crucial little tiny detail?" Then, the smile disappeared, and he exploded in a massive dark aura, nearly scaring the wits out of Lucy. " **I OWN YOU!** "

In the bushes nearby, Yajima groaned and regained consciousness. Rubbing his head, he mumbled, "Ugh, my head hurts."

"You work for me!" Mard's voice snapped.

Yajima muttered, "That kid's gonna be doing laps for a month."

Before he could leave, he overheard a familiar voice. He turned and saw, to his surprise, that Lucy was talking with Mard Geer Tartaros. Remembering his studies on Earth-land mythology, Yajima recognized Mard as Igneel's brother, Lord of the Dead, and ruler of the Underworld. But what's even more shocking was that Lucy was with him.

"If I wanted you to sing, you simply say, 'name that tune,'" Mard reprimanded Lucy, unaware that Yajima was watching them. "And if I wanted Natsu's head on a platter, what would you say?"

"Medium or well done?" Lucy rolled her eyes.

Yajima gasped in realization. Everything completely made sense; from Lucy's appearance since her rescue from the centaurs, to the other Underworld demons that attacked Fiore. Mard Geer was the one behind everything, and Lucy was his accomplice! Yajima whispered to himself, "I knew that girl was nothing but trouble. This is gonna break Natsu's heart."

He then left for Domus Flau, desperate to warn Natsu of the impending chaos.

"Did you hear that sound, Lucy? It's the sound of your freedom, fluttering out the window forever," Mard grinned, creating a flock of shadowy birds that fluttered around Lucy.

"I don't care!" Lucy snapped, shooing away the shadowy birds with her hands. "I'm not gonna help you hurt him."

Mard was amused of the blonde-haired girl's comment. If what he suspected proved true, then he could use that to his advantage. He spoke up, pretending that he was annoyed, "Lucy, I don't understand you. You've sworn off man-handling, and all of a sudden, you're worried for some… guy?"

Lucy protested, "This one is different. He's honest, he's kind, and he's sweet…"

Mard scoffed, "Oh, please."

Lucy added, "He would never do anything to hurt me."

Mard argued, "He's a guy!"

"Besides, Your Mard Gearness…" Lucy continued, and her lips curled into a confident, proud smirk. "You can't beat him. He has no weaknesses. He's gonna—"

Before Lucy could finish, Mard towered over her. With a smirk much more sinister than Lucy's own, he replied, "I think he does, Lucy." Grabbing the blonde-haired girl's body, he took Natsu's flower in his hand. "I _truly_ think he does."

Within seconds, the flower was reduced to ashes, and Lucy gulped nervously. The Lord of the Dead had something big in store for her!


	19. The Deal

That night, Domus Flau was empty, the arena filled with nothing but various types of exercise gear assembled together to make it look like one big obstacle course. The stadium was particularly silent, except the only noise came from Natsu's shouts of tremendous joy. The salmon-haired boy ran, flipped, jumped, and slid over every obstacle as an essential part of his workout, his body and voice booming with excitement. Happy sat on a bench, watching him while eating a fish.

By the time Yajima entered the arena, it was with a heavy heart. He was not sure of how he could break this down to Natsu; he was very much in love with Lucy, and when he knew the truth about her, it would break his heart. But Yajima hoped he would understand.

Happy noticed Yajima's arrival and said, "Would you look at that, Yaj? Natsu's more happier than he's ever been before." He added with a sly grin, " _He's in love._ "

"Yeah, sure…" Yajima muttered, walking past Happy and coming over to the Fire Dragon Slayer. This was the point of no return.

Natsu spotted the old man and greeted with a cheery smile, "Hey, Yaj! What's up?"

"Hi, Natsu," Yajima greeted back. "Have you seen Wendy and Romeo?"

Natsu answered, "They're on vacation. They'd be back in the morning."

"Oh, I see," Yajima confirmed, before he cleared his throat. "Aside from that, there's something I want to talk to you about—"

Laughing excitedly, Natsu grabbed Yajima's body and spun him around. "Yaj, I just had the greatest day of my life!" After releasing the old man, he flipped himself up on top of a metal bar hung by a double-sided platform, "I can't stop thinking about Lucy!" He lied down with an exhilarated sigh, "She's somethin' else."

"That's why I'm here! It's something about Lucy!" Yajima shouted desperately, with Natsu swinging on the bar. "Would you come down here and listen?"

"Awww, how can I come down here when I'm feeling _soooooo_ **UP?** " With tremendous force, Natsu jumped off the bar and rocketed upward into the sky, miles and miles away.

Chewing the last bits of his fish, Happy confirmed with a smile, "Yep. He feels _soooooo_ up today."

Just then, a sweet, delectable aroma permeated the arena. No one knew where it came from, but its draw was irresistible. Emerging from the open coliseum gates, an object resembling a huge rainbow-colored fish wrapped in a bow appeared, deep fried, chewy, and juicy sweet. The scent was so alluring that Happy alone was attracted to it. His mouth watering with drool, the blue Exceed goofily followed the large fish into the coliseum foyer. No cat on Earth, even an Exceed, could resist the pure deliciousness of a deep fried fish!

Moving all by itself, the large fish ventured into the foyer, and Happy followed its every movement. The trail ended when it led him inside an unfamiliar room…

…and all of a sudden, the large fish was split in two, and its halves transformed into two familiar menaces!

" **GOTCHA!** " Kain Hikaru yelled, as he and Rustyrose pounced on the helpless Exceed. He fell into a trap, as Wendy, Romeo, Carla, and Gajeel did!

 **Back outside…**

While oblivious of the capture of Natsu's friends, Yajima tried to speak with Natsu, "Ah, yes, that's good. Now, about Lucy—"

From his sky-high leap, Natsu returned to the ground and gave a dismayed Yajima a tight hug. He cried happily, "Yeah, I know! If it wasn't for you, Wendy, Romeo, Happy, and Carla, I never would've met her." He gave Yajima a noogie, "Oh, I owe you guys big time, I really do!"

Yajima broke free from Natsu's hug and snapped, "Will you just knock it off for a couple of seconds?!"

"Rule #38! C'mon, Yaj! Keep 'em up there, huh?" Natsu said mischievously. He pretended to box Yajima, "Yaj, two words for ya: duck!" On 'duck,' Yajima dodged the blow.

Yajima argued, "Listen to me! She's—"

Natsu asked, "A dream come true?"

Yajima shook his head, "Not exactly."

Natsu asked again, "More beautiful than Aquarius?"

Yajima was close to losing his temper, "Aside from that!"

Natsu asked a third time, and his voice became loud, strong, and joyous, " **THE MOST WONDERFUL—** "

" **SHE'S A FRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUD!** " Yajima finally lost it. Natsu snapped out of his façade, finally listening to the old man's outburst, and his happiness was replaced with shock and confusion. "She's been playing you for a sap!"

Natsu felt a wave of uneasiness rushing in him. Why would Yajima accuse Lucy of being a fraud? He didn't know if he was honest or joking, but he didn't like the sound of that. Not at all. Natsu chuckled exaggeratedly, "Aw, come on, Yaj. Stop kidding around."

"I'm **NOT** kidding around!" Yajima protested. "Lucy's a lying con artist!"

Natsu reasoned, "Look, I know you're upset about today, but that's no reason to…"

Yajima shot back, "Natsu, you're missing the point!"

"The point is, I _love_ her," Natsu argued.

"She doesn't love you!" Yajima yelled. "She doesn't even care about you!"

"You're crazy!" Natsu growled.

"She's nothing but a two-timing, back-stabbing…"

"STOP IT!" Natsu suddenly lost his temper.

"...good for nothing, lying, scheming…"

" **SHUT UP!** " With an angry roar, Natsu did something unthinkable: he threw a hard smack across Yajima's face, sending him flying towards a set of equipment with a loud crash. A few seconds later, the old man stood up with a groan.

Yajima exclaimed, "Are you out of your mind?! I'm telling the truth! Lucy is a fraud! A villain! She's trying to _kill_ you!"

With a sudden rage, Natsu grabbed Yajima's shirt and threw him to the ground. He snarled, "Don't you _dare_ talk about Lucy that way. I _love_ her. She _loves_ me. Our love is _real!_ You don't know anything about her. You never even met her!"

Yajima cried out, "When have I ever lied to you?! I saw it with my own eyes! Lucy is—"

" **DON'T TALK ABOUT LUCY THAT WAY!** " Natsu repeated, and his voice rose to an explosive scream. He kicked Yajima in the gut, causing him to roll over and clutch his stomach. "Lucy would never do such a thing! There's no way! I can see it in her eyes!" He grabbed Yajima by the throat and lifted him up, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't smash you right now because of your trash talking and disrespect!"

"WILL YOU JUST LISTEN TO—" Yajima screamed, his breath wheezed by Natsu's grip.

" **NO, YOU LISTEN TO ME!** " Natsu roared, and he smashed the old man to the ground, creating a small crack on impact. " **ALL YOU CARE ABOUT IS TAKING ME TO YOUR STUPID TRAINING! I WASTED MY WHOLE TIME TRAINING, WHEN I SHOULD'VE BEEN WITH LUCY!** "

"W-What…?" Yajima croaked, tried to ease himself up on his elbows. His mouth was agape with complete disbelief at what Natsu's just said. "Did you say… my training… was stupid…?!"

Natsu sprang over the old man and continued his temper tantrum, "You heard me, old man! _Stupid!_ I've completed my training on Sirius Island; that means you don't have to train me anymore. I'm fit as a fiddle, and I'm complete fine, so there! You're not the boss of me. You're not my teacher anymore. And then, here you are, trying to weigh me down and take Lucy away from me! It's all your fault. You were jealous! You were holding me back!"

"What's wrong with you?!" Yajima snapped at the salmon-haired boy's behavior. "I've spent years training you to be a great hero, and for what? So that you can play Twister with your so-called girlfriend in a love that was never real to begin with?!"

" **NO! YOU'RE WRONG!** " Natsu screamed at Yajima's face. " **OUR LOVE IS REAL!** "

"But—" Yajima began, almost standing on his feet.

" **OUR LOVE IS REEEAAAAAALLLL!** " That was the last straw. His eyes flaming with rage, Natsu threw a massive fireball that drove straight into Yajima's chest, pushing him straight into a wall close to the coliseum gates and destroying it on impact. By the intense strength and speed of the fireball, a normal old person would have all his bones broken, but Yajima, no ordinary old man, stood up and recovered from the attack, albeit with a hint of pain in his body.

Yajima could not believe this. This was not the Natsu he knew. He was not the same rookie who became a hero, praised by all of Fiore. He was not the best star pupil since Gildarts. He was not the same compassionate boy who would never doubt the loyalty of his friends. He was beyond help, consumed by the temptations of Lucy, a willing pawn of Mard Geer Tartaros. Nothing could save him now.

Natsu was dead.

When the Fire Dragon Slayer Magic calmed down for a short while, he remembered where he was. He stared at Yajima's solemn face, and the next minute, he was horrified of what he did. Yajima's eyes no longer laughed or wondered; only pain and grief festered in them now. Natsu tried to apologize, "Yaj, I… I didn't mean… I'm sorry, I…"

Instead of accepting Natsu's apology, Yajima gave a bitter reply, "Alright, that's it, that's it. You won't face the truth? Fine." He turned to the coliseum gates, "I shouldn't be here anyway."

"Yaj, wait," Natsu stopped him. "Where are you going?"

Walking towards the exit, Yajima answered, "I'm getting the first boat out of this joint. I'm going home to Sirius Island. I'll send a letter to Fairy Tail with my regards."

"Fine!" Natsu scoffed. "Go on, get outta here! I don't need you. I don't need anyone else. I've got everything I wanted right here." He then resumed his training, taking a large dumbbell and lifting it.

Before exiting completely, Yajima looked back one last time, and his face had more sorrow than bitterness. He whispered sadly, "I thought you were going to be the all-time champ… not the all-time CHUMP." With that, he disappeared from the coliseum, fated to never speak to the Fire Dragon Slayer again.

Natsu kept on lifting the dumbbell, trying to put this whole business behind him. His irrational behavior cost him his friendship with Yajima. Then again, he didn't need his help anymore. It was his fault for badmouthing Lucy.

Without warning, the dim lights surrounding Domus Flau were put out, much to Natsu's confusion. He muttered, "Okay, who forgot to pay the electric bill?"

"Oh, my goodness gracious," a deep voice echoed from the shadows. "For an old trainer of heroes, he is rather naïve. Wouldn't you agree, nephew?"

"Nephew?" Natsu raised an eyebrow. Turning his head to where the voice came from, he saw Mard Geer Tartaros relaxing on the bar. With a swift jump, the Lord of the Dead landed gently on the ground.

Mard spoke, "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Mard Geer Tartaros, Lord of the Dead, ruler of the Underworld, and Igneel's brother. It's very nice to meet you, Mr. Natsu Dragneel."

"I'm tired," Natsu sighed exasperatedly. "Can we talk some other time?"

"Oh, Natsu, Please here me out," Mard pouted. "I'm your uncle, and you're my nephew. We're family. We're both gods. I only need a few minutes of your minute. I've got this major deal in the works, and you're going to hear me out."

"You've got the wrong guy," Natsu groaned, and he walked away.

" **LOOK, YOU LITTLE—** " Mard's demonic aura nearly erupted, but he managed to calm down somewhat. "Listen to me. I'll make this short and sweet. I highly recommend that you take a day off from this hero business of yours. All the monsters, villains, natural disasters… All you need is one whole day, alright?"

"You're outta your mind," Natsu scoffed, not interested in what his uncle was offering.

Mard interrupted, "Not so fast, Natsu. Because, you see, I've got a little leverage you _might_ want to know about."

That was the cue. With a snap of Mard's fingers, Lucy appeared from the darkness. Natsu couldn't believe his eyes. "Lucy!"

"Natsu, no! Don't listen to—" Lucy was cut off when Mard snapped his fingers again, and he summoned chains of shadow that wrapped around her body and gagged her mouth. She fell to the ground, and before Natsu could reach her, she disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Let her go!" Natsu demanded. He threw a punch, but Mard teleported out of the way, causing him to miss.

Mard reappeared with a slight chuckle, "I'm glad we understood each other, nephew. Now then, I will offer you a very simple arrangement. You give up your Fire Dragon Slayer Magic for about twenty-four hours, or the _next_ twenty-four hours. Do so, and your precious Lucy will be free and safe from harm. We dance, we kiss, we schmooze, we carry on, and we go home happy. What do you say? Come on."

"But what's the catch?" Natsu asked with a concerned look. "Somebody's gonna get hurt, aren't they?"

"I'm appealed!" Mard gasped. "Silly boy, there is no catch! There is a possibility that violence and chaos would continue to run rampant. It happens all the time. The people looked up to you as their hero, and they owed you for what you've done. But what do _you_ owe _them?_ " Mard snapped his fingers again, and Lucy reappeared beside him. He held her face and spoke in baby talk, "Isn't Lucy much more important than they are?"

"Stop it!" Natsu was furious of the way his uncle treated Lucy.

" **Isn't she?** " Mard deadpanned.

"You've gotta swear she'll be safe from any harm," Natsu bargained.

"A very difficult choice, I must admit," Mard nodded. "But there is a counter-effect. If Lucy ends up getting physically hurt in any way, your magic will be restored. So do we have a deal?" He extended his hand, eagerly asking his nephew to shake it.

At first, Natsu hesitated. Would he give up his Fire Dragon Slayer Magic in exchange for Lucy's safety? Or would he keep his magic and continue protecting the people at the risk of losing her life? This was a very difficult choice to make.

"Nephew, I really don't have enough time. I'm on a tight schedule. This deal only comes once in a lifetime, so give me your answer **now,** " Mard demanded impatiently. Natsu turned to Lucy, who silently begged him not to take the deal, shaking her head desperately. "Going once, going twice..."

"Alright!" Natsu accepted. He made his choice.

"Yes, we've got a deal!" Mard boomed.

The moment their hands connected, a tremendous mixture of energy thundered, one force trying to dominate over the other. In the ensuing transformation, Mard's magic won the battle. Letting out a gasp of pain, Natsu felt his magic draining away, racing out of his body. His strength was sucked dry, his muscles turned weak, and the fire in his belly was snuffed out.

In the end, Natsu was left virtually powerless, both from his own action and from the deed of the one he made a deal with. He collapsed into the ground, exhausted and barely able to move.

Mard laughed cruelly, "Poor little Natsu. You're feeling a little queasy. Maybe you should sit down and **RELAX!** " He picked up a dumbbell and shot it like a cannon, pinning Natsu underneath it. For the first time in his life, the godly powers he inherited from his father Igneel, the powers that helped him overcome the impossible odds over the years, had failed him. With no strength, no magic, and no willpower left, Natsu could not lift the dumbbell.

Towering over his defenseless nephew, Mard chuckled sinisterly, "Not so funny to be on the receiving end of the blow, right, nephew? After all these years, you finally knew how it feels to be just like everybody else. Isn't it just… peachy?" He paused, before he continued, "Oh, which brings me to this one last loose end." Mard turned to Lucy and snapped his fingers, causing the bondages to disappear, "As promised, Lucy. A deal's a deal. You're off the hook." He turned to Natsu with an evil grin, "By the way, is she not a brilliant actress?"

"Stop it," Lucy cried desperately. With Natsu down for count, the Lord of the Dead decided to give his nephew the most crushing blow of all.

"What do you mean?" Natsu tiredly asked, his every bit of drained strength showing a hint of worry.

"You mean you haven't realized it yet? Lucy was working for me the whole time!" Mard revealed. "She was my underling, sent as a spy from the very beginning to keep an eye on you! You should've listened to that old man, nephew."

"No… No!" Natsu was stunned by the shocking revelation. "You're lying!"

Just then, the two boys Natsu rescued at the beginning of the Ophiuchus incident appeared. One of them coughed, "Help! I can't breathe!"

"Jeepers, mister, you're really strong!" the second boy exclaimed.

Suddenly, the boys transformed into Kain Hikaru and Rustyrose and started laughing at him. Kain taunted, "Ha-ha-ha! Fooled ya!"

Rustyrose added, "You should've seen the look of your face!"

Sorrow rose in Natsu than he had ever felt before. Lucy was the one who lured him to Ophiuchus under Mard's orders, with Kain and Rustyrose's help. In fact, she had been following the Lord of the Dead ever since she unwillingly became his servant. Natsu's heart tore itself to pieces, and he bawled his eyes out with an endless stream of tears. Now, he wished he would've listened to Yajima.

As for Lucy, she felt her heart heaving with sorrow and guilt, and felt tears of her own. Would Natsu ever talk to her anymore, now that he knew who she really was? Witnessing his downfall drove her to despair.

Mard turned to his former minion and remarked her well-served purpose, "Well done, Lucy. I couldn't have done it without your help. Finally, my true plan will come to fruition."

"No, it's not like that!" Lucy pulled away from Mard. She ran over to Natsu, futilely trying to work things out between them. "Natsu, I didn't want this. I didn't mean to… I… I couldn't…"

The salmon-haired boy responded by brushing her away, and he shook his head. He felt betrayed by the girl he thought he loved.

"I'm so sorry," Lucy whispered, the tears streaming down her cheeks.

" **OUR HERO'S A ZERO! OUR HERO'S A ZERO!** " Kain and Rustyrose taunted as they threw dirt, food, water, and other stuff, a living reminder of what Natsu had been reduced to.

From the coliseum gates, Jose Porla and Banaboster, accompanied by the Phantom Lord and Twilight Ogre wizards, entered the arena.

"Well, Lord Mard Geer?" Jose asked. The two villainous guilds were eager to have their own end of the bargain fulfilled, now that Natsu was broken and weak.

Mard gave a sinister chuckle and replied, "He's all yours."

" **HOORAY!** " the Phantom Lord and Twilight Ogre wizards cheered. One by one, they joined Kain and Rustyrose, and they all proceeded to torture, humiliate, and abuse Natsu in the worst suffering possible. This was payback for all the inconveniences the Fire Dragon Slayer brought upon them in the past. " **OUR HERO'S A ZERO! OUR HERO'S A ZERO!** "

"Well, as much as I'd love to stay and watch the former hero suffer at the hands of Phantom and Twilight, I'd better be going," Mard smiled. Snapping his fingers, he summoned a black chariot operated by a winged demon. "There's a whole cosmos up there waiting to be taken over!" He, Kain, and Rustyrose boarded the chariot, leaving Natsu to the Phantom Lord and Twilight Ogre wizards. "So much for the preliminaries, and now on to **the main event!** "

The demonic chariot yanked Mard and his minions up into the air, as Natsu and Lucy watched helplessly. A glorious hour was at hand.


	20. Rise of the Eight Demon Gates

Mard Geer's chariot soared above the center of the Aquarius Sea, the exact location where the Eight Demon Gates, the most powerful Etherious in existence, were imprisoned. Before long, the first step of the Fates' prophecy had been fulfilled. The planets aligned in a straight line, and with the powers of the natural universe combined, they shot a powerful beam that struck the center of the ocean. The waters slowly parted to reveal a gigantic prison underneath, barred by pillars of radiant, heavenly fire. Mard grinned with absolute satisfaction. The Eight Demon Gates' eyes flashed from the dark confines of their prison, showing nothing but hatred and contempt.

" **Brothers! Etherious! Mighty Demon Gates!** " Mard declared boomingly. " **Look at you in your squalid prison! Who put you down there?!** "

" **IGNEEL!** " all the Demon Gates bellowed the name of the one who imprisoned them.

" **And now that I set you free…** " Mard shot a bolt of black lightning that destroyed Igneel's fiery prison, extinguishing all the flames and rendering the bars useless. " **…what is the first thing you are going to do?** "

" **DESTROY HIM!** " With their fists, the Etherious broke the bars and emerged from the ocean.

"Good answer," Mard smirked.

* * *

The Eight Demon Gates began their rampage across the mortal world, determined to climb Mount Olympus and exact vengeance against the one god who defeated them.

" **I shall crush Igneel!** " the Rock Etherious, Ezel, stomped through the fields, crushing anything and anyone misfortunate enough to stand in his path under his rocky feet.

" **I shall freeze him to death!** " the Ice Etherious, Seilah, breathed a massive stream of ice that froze the entire landscape in front of her, including the animals and humans there.

" **I shall melt Igneel!** " the Lava Etherious, Jackal, slithered his lava-like body, scorching the surrounding lands with volcanic fire.

" **I shall blow him away!** " the Tornado Etherious, Tempester, moved his tornado-like body to and fro, blowing away everything with his destructive winds.

" **I shall drown Igneel!** " the Aquatic Etherious, Torafuzar, smothered the earth with his purple watery body, drowning all living things with poisonous water.

" **I shall plant a deadly seed in him!** " the Plant Etherious, Kyôka, sprouted gigantic plants, flowers, and thorns all over the landscape, tearing apart the earth beneath her.

" **I shall rip Igneel apart!** " the Cyclops Etherious, Franmalth, fired a devastating optic laser from his one eye, destroying a large chunk of land.

" **And I shall drag him into the fog!** " the Mist Etherious, Keyes, fluttered his body made of mist that shrouded everything in endless fog.

" **IGNEEL!** " all eight Demon Gates marched. They won't stop until Igneel was dead!

"Uh, guys?" Mard interrupted. The Etherious turned to him, and he pointed over his shoulder towards Mount Olympus with a bored expression. "Olympus would be that way."

The Demon Gates realized they've been going the wrong way. The turned around and went into that direction, resuming their rampage and roaring Igneel's name. Mard brimmed with confidence; everything was going according to plan. But to ensure that Natsu or any of his friends would not interfere, one had to be precautious.

"Hold it, you two!" Mard spoke to Keyes and Franmalth, who had been following behind the rest of the Etherious. "Can I have a moment?"

" **Yes, Mard Geer?"** Keyes turned to Mard. " **Is there anything that requires our attention?"**

Mard answered, "I have a special job for you two, my two gargantuan friends." He added with a sinister grin, "You'll love it."

" **Oh, boy!** " Franmalth shook excitedly. " **Does it involve killing someone else besides Igneel?** "

"Oh, yes," Mard assured. "Most definitely."

* * *

On Mount Olympus, the gods and goddesses were busy with their duties of maintaining balance in the mortal world, while others relaxed cozily. Sitting on a cloudy chair, Leo was reading a book, minding his own business when a myriad of furious roars caught his attention. Looking down from the clouds, his heart raced with complete horror upon seeing six familiar monsters on their way to the mountain!

" **Destroy Igneel!** " Ezel boomed.

"Uh-oh! We're in trouble! Oh, big trouble!" Leo cried frantically. The Messenger God quickly raced to the throne room, where Igneel and Cassandra sat on two individual chairs. Leo reported, "My Lord and Lady, the Demon Gates have escaped, and they're practically at the gates!"

Igneel was heavily shocked. He found it hard to believe that the Etherious he fought and defeated so many eons ago had returned. Nonetheless, the king of Olympus rose from his chair and commanded Leo, "Sound the alarm! Launch an immediate counterattack! Go! Go!"

"Gone, babe," Leo nodded. He zipped through the clouds, blowing a horn to signal the Olympians of the impending danger.

* * *

The gods and goddesses hastily began preparations for war. Taurus, with his mighty crafting skills, sharpened their weapons and armor. Various lines of defense were set all over the mountain. The chariots were prepped up and ready to ride the skies.

"Charge!" Metalicana raised a shining sword of iron, signaling the assault. "On to battle!"

"The Etherious will fail again!" Grandeeney vowed.

The chariots plunged from the clouds, accompanied by ferocious battle cries. One by one, the Olympians unleashed their godly powers against the Etherious, leaving behind tremendous explosions and collisions of elemental energy in their wake. But no matter how devastating the attacks were, the Demon Gates kept on climbing Mount Olympus, their desire for revenge compelling them not to stop. They seemed to endure the Olympians' attacks with little effort.

" **Fire God's Mighty Roar!** " Standing on top of the mountain, Igneel inhaled and exhaled a gigantic flame of divine light, intent on sending the Demon Gates back to the ocean. Unfortunately, the attack just bounced off. The Olympians weren't the only ones prepared; the Etherious trained their bodies to withstand their destructive attacks, especially Igneel's famous fire breath.

From the comfort of his chariot, Mard watched the whole scene with a sinister grin. The Olympians were in complete disarray. Kyôka spouted gargantuan plants all over Mount Olympus, catching the chariots off balance. Torafuzar, Seilah, and Jackal destroyed every line of defense with water, ice, and lava, respectively. Jackal's solid rock body broke through Igneel's fire breath. Tempester's arms morphed into tornados that sucked most of the gods and goddesses in.

"You pompous windbaaaaaaaaaag!" Grandeeney screamed, pulled in with the rest of her fellow Olympians.

Mard remarked with a chuckle, "Should've thought of that a long time ago."

* * *

While the six Demon Gates kept the Olympians at bay, Franmalth the Cyclops Etherious rampaged all over Crocus, setting the city ablaze, destroying most of the infrastructure with his optic eye laser, and terrorizing the citizens. He and his fellow Etherious, Keyes, had been sent for one reason:

" **Natsu Dragneel!** " Franmalth jeered, tearing apart the roof of a building and throwing it down. " **Where are you? Come out, come out, wherever you are!** "

Macao Conbolt and the Fairy Tail wizards kept themselves hidden underneath a dried-up fountain, hoping they wouldn't get caught in Franmalth's rampage. Mirajane screamed frantically, "What are we going to do?!"

Gray shouted angrily, "Where's Natsu?! Where's that pryo when we need him the most?!"

Erza assured, "Natsu will come! We must have faith!"

Macao agreed, "Yeah! He's my son's best friend! He saved us before, he'll do it again!"

"Yeah, Natsu will save us!" Wakaba pointed at a statue of Natsu at the center of the town square, before it was smashed into pieces by the cane Franmalth was carrying around.

" **Natsu Dragneel! Come out and face me!** " Franmalth demanded.

Outside Domus Flau, Natsu stared at the rampaging monster with a blank expression. His magic was gone, his heart was broken, his body was beaten and bruised (thanks to the Phantom Lord and Twilight Ogre wizards), and he was all alone. He rejected Yajima, and Wendy, Romeo, Happy, and Carla were nowhere to be found. He was out of power, out of ideas, out of morale, and out of wits. But because the city counted on their hero so deeply, Natsu knew he had to do something, with or without his magic. He won't risk letting the people down.

Lucy took notice of the ex-Fire Dragon Slayer's intention to stop Franmalth and gasped. She blocked his path, "No, don't! You can't go out there! Without your magic, you'll be killed!"

"There are worse things," Natsu frowned weakly, pushing Lucy aside. After everything she had done, he wasn't sure if he loved or even trusted her anymore. At this rate, death seemed to be the only thing welcoming him.

" **You can run, but you can't hide!** " Franmalth shouted, with Natsu slowly walking towards him, ready to accept whatever fate had in store for him.

"Wait! Stop!" Lucy screamed in protest. But he didn't listen.

Back at the town square, the Fairy Tail wizards were terrified, completely unsure of what to do.

"We can't just hide in here all morning!" Elfman yelled. "We're Fairy Tail wizards, and we never give up! We gotta fight that monster, like REAL men!"

Lisanna stated, "We tried. Our magic doesn't have any effect on him."

Levy sighed, "If only Natsu was here…"

Just then, as if to answer their prayers, Natsu came into the square. The Fairy Tail wizards were relived and overjoyed to see their hero come to the rescue.

"Hey, look!" Macao pointed at the salmon-haired boy. "It's Natsu!"

Gray grumbled, "Well, it's about time he showed up."

Alzack smirked, "He's gonna teach that monster a lesson!"

Bisca cheered, "Thank the gods! We're saved!"

" **So…** " Franmalth stomped towards Natsu, the target Mard assigned him to kill. " **You're the mighty Natsu Dragneel? This'll be fun for me!** " The Cyclops Etherious laughed in cruel amusement, before he swatted Natsu away with his cane, sending him crashing into a billboard of himself. The Fairy Tail wizards cringed at this.

"My hero," Gray said sarcastically.

"What am I gonna do?" Lucy groaned to herself, pacing around in circles. "Natsu's in trouble, and his friends are locked up in the storage room." Her eyes then brightened with an idea, "Storage room! That's it! Natsu's friends will help him!" Her conviction renewed, she raced back to Domus Flau's entrance. "I'll set things right, no matter what!"

* * *

Inside the coliseum's hidden storage room, Wendy, Romeo, Carla, and Gajeel were still wrapped in Mard Geer's thorns, and a new prisoner increased their number to five. It was Happy, who had been captured by Kain and Rustyrose and thrown inside. The atmosphere of the room remained the same, except there were loud noises rocking from outside, causing small bits of rubble to fall from the ceiling.

"…and that's what happened," Happy concluded. "Those two jerks work for Mard Geer Tartaros, the Lord of the Dead. Before he threw me inside with you guys, I heard him saying that he's gonna kill Natsu, and Lucy's gonna be the bait!"

"Oh, no! Mard kidnapped Lucy!" Wendy gasped. "And he's gonna lure Natsu into a trap! We gotta do something!"

"Hate to burst your bubbles, kids, but we're still stuck in those thorns," Gajeel pointed out.

Romeo offered, "I'll burn them with Rainbow Fire, no problem."

Gajeel speared Romeo's hope, "They also prevent us from using magic. They can only be destroyed on the outside."

Carla raised an eyebrow, "Just the outside, not the inside? That sounds a bit confusing, don't you think?"

Happy cried, "What are we gonna do? Natsu and Lucy are in trouble, and we gotta save them!"

Romeo agreed, "Happy's right. But first, we gotta get—"

Without warning, the doors burst open, revealing Lucy with a knife in her hand. "Guys!"

" **LUCY!** " Wendy, Romeo, Happy, and Carla cried in unison.

"We're saved!" Wendy cheered.

"Thank goodness!" Carla sighed in relief.

"Aye!" Happy added.

"Wait a second, I thought you were captured by Mard Geer," Romeo said.

"Circumstances have changed," Lucy replied. "But no time to explain. Natsu's in trouble."

"We know," Wendy nodded. "Happy told us."

Using the knife, Lucy cut each of the thorns, releasing Wendy, Romeo, Happy, Carla, and Gajeel from captivity. She explained, "Mard Geer tricked Natsu into giving up his Fire Dragon Slayer Magic, and he sent a giant monster to finish him off."

Wendy and her friends gasped in horror. Romeo exclaimed, "Natsu lost his magic because of Mard Geer?! And he's gonna die?!"

Carla shook her head, "That doesn't sound good. Without his Fire Dragon Slayer Magic, he'll die. Is there any way to restore it?"

"I don't know, but we have to try. We gotta find Yajima. He's the only one who can talk some sense into him," Lucy suggested.

Wendy offered, "We'll stay here and help Natsu fight the monster."

Romeo nodded, "Yeah. Team Natsu's gonna show that creep a thing or two, with or without Natsu's magic."

Gajeel chuckled, "Suppose you got room for an Iron Dragon Slayer? Count me in. I'll help you kids out."

Carla smiled, "We're glad to have you on our side, Gajeel."

"I guess it's up to us, Lucy," Happy said. "We'll get a good view from up high."

"Up high?" Lucy asked nervously. "Does this mean we have to…"

The blue Exceed grabbed the blonde-haired girl's back and flew her outside Domus Flau at breakneck speed. " **…FLY AGAAAAAAAIIIIINNN!** " Lucy screamed for dear life, as she and Happy disappeared into the sky, desperate to find Yajima before it's too late.


	21. Crazy Things When They're in Love

Meanwhile, the battle of Mount Olympus was nearing its ultimate conclusion. The Demon Gates overpowered and captured almost every god and goddess, and only Igneel was left on his own. Because the Etherious had become far deadlier and much stronger than they were eons ago, the gods' defeat was all but certain. But the king of Olympus, ever brave and courageous, wasn't willing to surrender.

" **GET BACK, BLAST YOU!** " Igneel roared, and he hurled his mighty fire breath again, but Ezel's solid rock body continued to break through. Clenching his fists, the Rock Etherious raised them and smashed open the gates of Olympus in one single movement.

"Oooh!" Mard exclaimed. "That's GOT to hurt!"

" **Igneel…** " Ezel growled. The Demon Gates were one step closer to getting their revenge.

* * *

At the docks of Crocus, citizens were fleeing the city, which had just been attacked by Franmalth a while ago. Between the chaos, the destruction, and the desperate attempts to hold things together, the capital city of Fiore had devolved into something of a literal demolition derby. The ships would be filled with people seeking stability across the ocean to hopefully avoid Franmalth's wrath. Right now, there was only one ship left, and dozens of desperate citizens boarded the ship before its departure.

"C'mon, hurry up! We're shovin' off here!" the captain called out to the last passenger about to board the ship. It was Yajima, who remained hurt and embittered after Natsu rejected and disowned him. Throughout his career, many heroes trained under him and failed. Even his new pupil, consumed by evil temptations and false love, failed to meet his expectations.

Yajima's hopes for training the greatest hero of all time had been dashed, this time for good. He may as well face the facts; he was a bad teacher, a bad trainer, and a failure… and he would never establish anything.

"Yaj!" a familiar voice cried. Yajima turned to see Lucy flown by Happy's wings.

"Oh, it's you," Yajima recognized with a frown, crossing his arms. "Having another date with your boyfriend, I suppose?"

"There's no time!" Lucy shook her head. "You gotta come with us! Natsu needs your help!"

"So, Natsu needs _my_ help, huh?" Yajima said sarcastically. He then scoffed, "Ha! What does he need me for when he's got friends like you?"

"He won't listen to me," Lucy protested.

"Good! He's finally learned something!" Yajima spat, and he turned away in disgust for the boat.

"Listen to me, you crusty old cheapskate!" Happy yelled angrily, blocking Yajima's path. "Mard Geer stole Natsu's magic and sent a monster to kill him! And you're gonna abandon him **JUST BECAUSE HE'S IN LOVE WITH LUCY?!** "

Yajima asked incredulously, "W-What? Mard Geer? Natsu's magic stolen? Monster?!"

Lucy reasoned, "Look, Yaj, I know we had our differences, but right now, this isn't about me. It's about _him._ If you don't help him now, he'll die."

Yajima's heart raced with worry. The news of Natsu's impending doom sounded displeasing.

* * *

" **I NEED REINFORCEMENTS!** " Igneel demanded.

Leo reported worriedly, "All our defense forces have been wiped out, my Lord. Everyone's been captured." Kain and Rustyrose emerged from the clouds, grabbed Leo, and dragged him away. " **I'VE** been captured! Hey, watch the suit!"

Before he could attempt to save Leo, Igneel was surrounded by Jackal and Seilah. The two shot lava and ice from their mouths, trapping Igneel in a solid mound of mixed elements that went way up top. He tried to break free, but the casing quickly hardened, preventing any chance of escape.

Mard Geer steered his chariot above Igneel's level with a wicked smile. He greeted mockingly, "Iggy, I'm home!"

"Mard Geer!" Igneel growled, his face blanched with shock and fury. " **YOU'RE BEHIND THIS?!** "

"That's right!" Mard roared with laughter. "You should've seen the look on your face when I brought those Etherious over!"

"Why are you doing this?" Igneel demanded.

"I thought it was clearly obvious, brother," Mard chuckled sinisterly. "I'm here to take over! I've released a few friends of mine to come along for the ride." He gestured to the six Demon Gates, "And I would like to take this moment to thank the little fire boy who helped make this day a smashing success!"

"Little fire boy…? Natsu!" Igneel gasped. "What have you done to my son?!"

"If you think your son's coming to save you, you're terribly mistaken," Mard smirked. "The source of his strength is gone, his spirit is shattered, and as we speak, he's going for a halo."

"No…" Igneel whispered fearfully.

"And now, it's time to finish what I've started long time ago!" Mard declared. "The Demon Gates I released have grown more powerful since you last imprisoned them. Now their strength goes beyond any Olympian! With their help, my victory was assured. For too long, I've been living in the shadow of those pansy Olympians. I've been denied my rightful place. But no more! I'll be the new ruler of Olympus! I'll have a new home from above instead of below. And more importantly, the cosmos will be **MINE!** "

The Lord of the Dead laughed triumphantly, and the six Demon Gates bellowed in victory, as a black shadow fell over the clouds of Olympus.

* * *

Back at Crocus, Natsu and Franmalth were still battling. The Cyclops Etherious laughed wickedly, deriving great pleasure at the complete suffering of his opponent. Natsu was kicked and tossed like a ball, and it often followed with smacks from Franmalth's cane that sent him crashing into stuff. Could this day get any worse?

" **Flea!** " Franmalth mocked. He flicked Natsu away with his cane again, sending him crashing into multiple houses until he stopped into an old cart lying in the street. The salmon-haired boy collapsed in complete exhaustion, his body completely bruised.

A few miles away from Franmalth, Wendy, Romeo, Carla, and Gajeel spotted him at the northwest corner of the city. "There it is!" Wendy noticed.

"So this is the monster, huh?" Gajeel smirked. "This should be fun. My first real fight in a very long time!"

Romeo grinned jokingly, "Welcome back to the mortal world, Gajeel!"

"We must focus!" Carla reminded. "Natsu is in danger! We must help him!"

Just then, a loud hiss erupted, stopping them in their tracks. "Huh? What was that?" Romeo wondered.

"Did you guys hear a hiss? It sounded like a train or something," Gajeel stated.

A few seconds later, the hiss intensified and grew louder. The noise came from a gigantic cloud of fog which appeared out of nowhere and smothered more than half of the city in its misty blanket. Wendy and her group were trapped in the fog's embrace, much to their confusion.

" **Behold…** " Keyes's voice echoed. " **I am the Mist Etherious. I am nowhere and everywhere. I am the fog itself. All my victims were lost in the labyrinth of mist.** "

Ignoring Keyes, Carla turned to her friends and asked, "Goodness gracious, what happened here? Why should a fog appear in the middle of the city?"

Gajeel assumed, "Must've been the weather conditions. Chagot's got a little problem changing the seasons."

Hearing Chagot's name brought worry to Carla's heart. She muttered to herself, "Mother…"

"Leave it to me. I'll eat the fog. I've done this before," Wendy offered with a smile. With that, she strongly inhaled, and she sucked the fog in, unaware that it was Keyes's body she was eating.

" **W-Wait! What are you doing?! You're eating my…** " Keyes screamed, horrified to see Wendy swallowing his misty body. Within seconds, less than half of his giant body remained. " **No! NO! NOOOO! NOOOOOOOOOOOO…** "

Those were the last words of the Mist Etherious, who was completely swallowed up by Wendy's ability to eat air, leaving behind small traces of fog that disappeared from the city. Who would've imagined that a 12-year old demigoddess could defeat an Etherious, an omnipotent being, in his own game?

"Whoo!" Wendy wiped her mouth, energized by the air she devoured. She cheered, "Like Natsu used to say, I've got a fire in my belly!"

Romeo chuckled, "More like air!"

"This could work to our advantage," Carla suggested. "With all of the air she consumed, Wendy could subdue the monster with great force."

"You're right! I can do this! If Natsu can do anything, so can I!" Wendy cried in determination.

Meanwhile, Franmalth was approaching a defeated Natsu, preparing to deliver the final blow. He laughed delightfully, " **I'm going to enjoy beating the tar out of you!** "

" **Sky Dragon's Roar!** " Wendy inhaled and fired a gust of wind towards Franmalth. Only this time, it was gigantic and a thousand times more powerful, due to all the air she consumed from Keyes's body.

" **Huh?** " Franmalth noticed the incoming attack.

 **BOOM!** The **Sky Dragon's Roar** struck Franmalth's chest, pushing him towards the mountains and destroying them on impact. The Cyclops Etherious groaned of his injury, and fell unconscious.

Romeo, Carla, Gajeel, and some of the citizens witnessing the whole thing were completely stunned of Wendy's incredible feat. Their faces froze with shock, and their bodies refused to budge.

"I did it! I took out that monster!" Wendy cried happily, but paused to see the priceless looks on everybody's faces. "Huh? What's wrong? Did I miss anything?"

* * *

Natsu sprawled on the ground, sustaining grievous injuries from the intense beating he suffered. He never imagined it would end this way— with his magic gone, his demise seemed inevitable. Just one more blow, and it would be the death of him…

"Natsu!" three voices cried. They belonged to Wendy, Romeo, and Carla, who rushed to tend their friend's weakened state.

"Wendy… Romeo… Carla…" Natsu breathed. "I thought you were…"

"Sorry it took so long, Natsu," Wendy said softly. "But we're here now. I'll heal you." She inched her hands closer to Natsu's body. The moment they glowed, the injuries slowly began to heal, and the salmon-haired boy took slow and steady breaths.

"I knew you'd be there for me," Natsu wheezed, caressing Wendy's warm cheek. "Thank you…"

"Natsu…" Wendy whispered, as she felt a single tear trail down her cheek.

"We're sorry. We're so sorry," Romeo tried his best to fight back his own tears. "We should've stayed with you."

Natsu chuckled weakly, "It's okay. You've got nothing to worry about. That what friends are for." He turned to Gajeel, "And who are you? I've never seen you before."

Gajeel introduced himself, "The name's Gajeel. You're Natsu the Fire Dragon Slayer, right?"

"Yeah," Natsu nodded. "Well, I used to be…"

"Natsu!" another voice yelled. It belonged to Yajima, who landed safely along with Lucy and Happy.

"Yaj," Natsu croaked in relief.

" **NATSU!** " Happy sobbed, hugging Natsu's stomach. " **I THOUGHT I'D NEVER SEE YOU AGAIN!** "

Natsu greeted tiredly, "Hey, Happy."

Yajima came over to Natsu and urged, "Come on, Natsu. Snap out of it! The monster won't stay down for long! You have to fight back! You can take out this large brute. I know you can! He's just a pushover!"

"Who am I kidding? I failed," Natsu moaned despairingly. "My magic is gone, and I've been beaten to death by a huge one-eyed freak. Worst of all, I left everyone unprotected." He pounded his fist against the ground in frustration, "Mard was right. I'm just a… a zero."

Happy shouted in disbelief, "No! Don't say that! Please, don't say that! You're not like that!"

Yajima snapped, "Now is not the time to beat yourself up! We need you now!"

"I'm some hero…" Natsu murmured dreadfully. "You were right all along, Yaj. Dreams _are_ for rookies."

"No, no, no, no, no. That's not what I meant," Yajima shook his head. " _Giving up_ is for rookies. Your friends came back because they're not giving up on you, and neither am I. I'm willing to go the distance." He paused to let this sink in, "How about you?"

For a moment, Natsu seemed to contemplate his teacher's words. His face softened, and he gave a bright smile, the words getting through to him.

And then, Franmalth jumped from the mountains and landed back into the city with a loud thud, having recovered from Wendy's **Sky Dragon's Roar.** Though he was struck hard, his insanity never wavered. " **Looks like I've been struck by a mighty gust of wind! How much of a sin does it cost, I wonder?** "

"Uh-oh," Wendy, Romeo, Gajeel, Lucy, Happy, Carla, and Yajima gulped in unison.

Laughing evilly, Franmalth caught Natsu's body in his hand, intent on finishing the young hero off. " **I'm about to have one salmon-haired kid for breakfast!** "

Emblazoned by Yajima's words of encouragement, Natsu came prepared. Taking a piece of burning wood moments before Franmalth could bite his head off, Natsu threw it towards the monster's eye. Blinded by the small embers, Franmalth screamed in pain and was forced to release Natsu from his grip. While the Etherious was distracted, Natsu quickly grabbed a long rope and tied it around Franmalth's legs, knotting them together. In the end, the Cyclops Etherious tripped and fell off a cliff into a deep pit nearby. **BOOM!** A colossal bang was heard, indicating that Franmalth was the second of the Eight Demon Gates to have fallen in battle.

Exhausted from his ordeals, Natsu smiled in satisfaction. Even without his Fire Dragon Slayer Magic, he was still capable of doing the impossible.

But that victory was short lived, however. The loud crash caused a pillar to come loose and fall towards Natsu!

"Natsu, look out!" Lucy screamed. She pushed him out of the way, only for the pillar to fall on her instead. **BOOM!**

" **LUUUUUCCCCCCY!** " Natsu let out a anguished scream of the blonde-haired girl's name. The rest of his friends were stunned of the terrible accident.

Desperate to save Lucy, the salmon-haired boy grasped the edges of the pillar, using all of his strength— what's left of it— to lift it up. Just then, a dim light surrounded Natsu the moment he touched the pillar. The light softened his injuries, healing faster than Wendy's Sky Magic. Strength returned to his muscles. And then…

…his hands ignited with fire! Natsu's burning fingers broke through the pillar, and in an instant, the entire structure shattered into a million pieces of rock. Everyone couldn't believe their eyes. His Fire Dragon Slayer Magic had returned!

Romeo exclaimed, "Whoa! Natsu! Your hands are burning again!"

Wendy stated, "Your Fire Dragon Slayer Magic is back!"

Happy cheered, "Hooray! The fire is back!"

Natsu, too, was surprised by the sudden return of his magic. He asked, "What's happening?"

Lucy was released from the pillar, but it wasn't for the better. She lay flat on the ground, crushed by the awesome might of the object, and most of her body was rendered immobile. Using her remaining strength, Lucy explained, "M-Mard's deal is broken. He promised I wouldn't get hurt."

"Lucy…" Natsu was heavily confused. She was willing to sacrifice herself for him? "Why… Why did you… You didn't have to…"

Lucy smiled weakly, "People always do crazy things when they're in love."

"Oh, Lucy…" Natsu whispered, overcome with emotions. He still loved her, and she loved him because of what she was forced to do. "Lucy, I… I…"

"Are you always this articulate?" Lucy giggled tiredly. Natsu smiled back, remembering those words the first time they met.

Romeo asked Wendy, "Can't you use your Sky Magic to heal her?"

"I tried," Wendy responded, showing her glowing hands. "But this injury is very strange to me. It doesn't seem to heal, no matter how hard I tried."

Carla insisted, "Save your energy, child. The more you use your magic, it will risk draining your strength. Use it if you really need to."

"You haven't got much time, Natsu. You can still stop Mard," Lucy suggested.

Wendy agreed, "She's right! We can't let Mard Geer get away with this! Everyone's counting on us!"

Romeo added, "We'll show that freak what happens when you mess with Team Natsu. And if that means we're fighting giant monsters, that's fine by me!"

Happy nodded, "Aye. It's gonna be hard, but we'll do anything as long as we work together!"

Carla added, "For the sake of everyone we hold dear, we will never give up."

Yajima offered, "I'll stay here and watch over her. You kids better be going." He pushed a rock under Lucy's head to prop it up.

"You're gonna be alright," Natsu said to Lucy with a deep sigh. "I promise." He turned to his friends with fierce determination and strong resolve, "Let's go, guys!"

Wendy, Romeo, Happy, and Carla shouted, " **YEAH!** "

" **Rainbow Fire: Rocket Feet!** " Romeo's legs blazed with multicolored fire, enabling him to fly. Happy and Carla lifted Natsu and Wendy with their paws and flew up into the air, and Romeo followed soon after. The young heroes' next destination: Mount Olympus.

"No fair," Gajeel grumbled. "I wanna join the fight, too! I wanna give Mard a piece of my own mind. I mean, I'm a Dragon Slayer, too! I'm the son of Metalicana! How come I don't get to have any fun?"

Yajima shrugged, "Well, at least you can help me watch over Lucy."

"Oh, sure," Gajeel said sarcastically. "Just sit around and do nothing but babysit Natsu's down-for-the-count girlfriend." He added with a deep groan, "This sucks."


	22. Clash of the Titans

With the battle all but lost, Mount Olympus fell under the control of Mard Geer and the six remaining Demon Gates. The once-golden paradise of the Olympians sported the scars of a war they failed to win. Dark clouds smothered the skies and bolted out the heavenly light. The gutted remains of weapons, chariots, and majestic architecture stood bleak, sporting different degrees of damage. The gods and goddesses were captured and enchained by the usurpers, forced to serve their every whim.

"Hup, two, three, four! C'mon, everybody!" Kain and Rustyrose led the captive and helpless gods in a straight line. Holding a megaphone in his hand, Kain screamed at Leo's ear, " **I CAN'T HEAR YOU!** "

Leo winced, "Ouch! Easy on the ears, fat man." He rubbed his ear in agitation, "It's tough all over, all right?"

Meanwhile, Igneel was still trapped in the mound, frozen from one side and scorched from the other, courtesy of Jackal and Seilah. Mard Geer watched the scene unfold in the comfort of a large chair that used to be his brother's throne. He chuckled smugly, "How does it feel, brother? The mighty king of Olympus, meeting his downfall at the hands of Etherious, the very first rulers of the world before it was born. I had such high hopes for you… I thought you were the strongest of all the gods."

Igneel did not reply. His breath came heavy, and his face was cold and severe.

Mard grinned, "But I suppose fate had other ideas. You could've been remembered as a herald of change, the founder of a grand new world. As it turned out, the only one with the title was me. A new time is upon us, and I'll be on top of the heap. And I've set the precedent for what will be done to you."

Igneel looked his brother right in the face with fire in his eyes. "You will reap what you have sown," he scowled. "So help me, Mard, when I get out of here…" He didn't finish his sentence, as the fire and ice swallowed him whole.

Mard scoffed, holding a glass of wine in his hand, "I'm the one giving the orders now, Fire Breath. And I think I'm going to like it here." Proud of his ultimate victory, he took a sip…

"Don't get too comfortable, Mard!" a familiar voice boomed, causing the Lord of the Dead to spit the wine out of his mouth. Looking around, he caught sight of the one who made the noise… and it was with heavy shock.

" **NO!** " Mard exclaimed furiously, bursting with his dark aura. " **IT CAN'T BE!** "

Emerging from the dark clouds was a blazing comet of fire. When the flames subsided, it revealed Natsu, Wendy, Romeo, Happy, and Carla, having entered the fray to put an end to Mard's ambition.

Metalicana exclaimed, "Hey, look! Ig's kid!"

Weisslogia cheered, "The son of Igneel has come!"

Skiadrum stated, "And he's not alone!"

Aries began, "He's brought…"

"Wendy!" Grandeeney noticed Wendy's arrival with a joyful expression. "It's my child! My daughter! She's come to aid my brother's son!"

Kemo-Kemo pointed out, "And he's brought another one with him!"

Aquarius guessed, "The mortal child. His name is Romeo, isn't it?"

Imitatia grinned, "It's a team of three! They've come to set us free!"

Mavis cried, "Thank Gaea! We're saved!"

Taurus shouted happily, "Heck, yeah! Those kids are makin' their moooooove!"

The gods and goddesses cheered, praising Team Natsu's arrival. Taking it as the cue, the salmon-haired boy smirked. He signaled Wendy and Romeo, "Alright, Team Natsu, it's time for business!"

"Okay!" Wendy nodded.

"Alright!" Romeo complied.

"Aye, sir!" Happy affirmed.

"Ready!" Carla nodded.

"This oughta even the odds! **Crimson Lotus: Exploding Flame Blade!** " Natsu transformed his arms into indestructible blades of radiant fire.

" **Sky Dragon's Sharp Wind Blades!** " Wendy transformed her arms into blades of wind capable of slicing anything it touches.

" **Purple Fire: Scissors!** " Romeo's left arm transformed into purple fire materialized into a giant scissors.

Utilizing their respective techniques, Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo sliced through every single chain, freeing all of the Olympians from captivity.

"Alright, Natsu!" Leo cheered, beating up Kain and Rustyrose and getting himself free. "Thank you, man!"

" **GET THEM!** " Mard roared at the Demon Gates.

Jackal the Lava Etherious breathed molten lava, and the young heroes took notice. "Look out!" Natsu shouted. Immediately, they moved out of the way, and the molten lava missed its mark and covered Mard in it instead.

Mard coughed, "No, not me, you idiots! Them! **THEM! THEEEEEEM!** "

Torafuzar the Aquatic Etherious summoned a tidal wave of poisonous water against Natsu, Wendy, and Romeo, but Happy and Carla flew their Dragon Slayer partners out of the way in time, and Romeo rocketed himself from range. The tidal wave smashed Mard, and the moment it connected with the lava he was smothered in, the fire was extinguished, resulting in hot steam that scorched Mard's body with extreme pain.

" **YEEEEEEEEOOOOWWW!** " Mard screeched in agony. His body was filled with tremendous burn marks, and his clothing was charred and wet. " **NO, GET THEM! NOT ME, THEM!** "

Seilah the Ice Etherious breathed a storm of deadly icicles at Natsu, Wendy, Romeo, Happy, and Carla, but the young heroes knocked them away repeatedly with their respective magics.

"Follow my fingers! Them!" Mard ordered, before Seilah's ice storm accidentally froze his body solid. He continued through gritting teeth, "The brats with the cats."

Wendy offered, "We'll distract Mard and the others!"

Romeo urged, "You go ahead and help your dad!"

Natsu smiled, "Thanks, guys. You're a big hand." He turned to Happy, "Take me to my dad!"

"Aye, sir!" Happy replied. He flew Natsu towards the stone mound Igneel was trapped in, and dropped him right on top of it. With his bare hands, the Fire Dragon Slayer split it wide open, setting Igneel free. Screaming in absolute rage, Mard erupted in a dark, fiery explosion, freeing himself from his icy prison in the process.

"Thank you, my boy," Igneel smiled warmly. He placed his hands around Natsu's shoulders, proud to see his son amidst the strife and turmoil. Natsu smiled back.

" **Sky Dragon's Crushing Fang!** "

" **Purple Fire: Superman Punch!** "

Wendy and Romeo chased down Kain and Rustyrose and pinned them with their spells.

Wendy smiled playfully, "Good to see you again, Mard's friends. Long time no see!"

Romeo pointed a finger at the two minions, "You captured us and tried to hurt our friends! We're here for some payback!"

Carla grinned mischievously, "Let's finish this, shall we?"

Wendy and Romeo agreed in unison with a smirk, "Let's."

Rustyrose yelped, "Now, now, children. Be nice. Our intentions were pure."

Kain shivered, "Yeah, I really was attracted to the pretty girl in ponytails."

Wendy and Romeo proceeded to beat up Kain and Rustyrose like punching bags. Carla laughed in amusement, and Happy flew over and stood beside her.

Carla remarked, "Wendy never ceases to impress. She stood bravely against the Lord of the Dead and his band of monsters. In my opinion, she's become the best Sky Dragon Slayer ever!"

"You said it, Carla," Happy agreed. "Wendy, Natsu, AND Romeo are three of a kind. We're lucky to have friends like them."

"Oh, you have no idea—" Carla began.

She stopped when Happy kissed her on the cheek. The kiss caused her to blush like crazy, and she began to giggle awkwardly.

Happy asked dreamily, "Wanna share a fish with me when we get back home?"

Carla replied blushingly, "Oh, why, yes. Of course. I'd love to share a fish with you."

After defeating Kain and Rustyrose, Wendy and Romeo took notice. They smiled to themselves, glad that Happy and Carla were starting to get together. Just then, another unexpected thing happened: the two were holding each other's hands! It would appear that Happy and Carla weren't the only ones…

Meanwhile, Ezel the Rock Etherious and Kyôka the Plant Etherious surrounded Igneel and Natsu. " **Not so fast, Igneel!** " Ezel bellowed.

" **You've got nowhere to go!** " Kyôka sneered.

"Yes, nowhere to go… but through _you!_ " Igneel smirked, noticing the endless mounds of fire created from Jackal's lava-like body. He inhaled mightily, and the gigantic sea of fire was absorbed into his stomach, increasing his strength a thousand fold. Igneel laughed madly, energized and more fired up than he had ever been, " **HA-HA-HA-HA-HA! I'VE GOT A MAJOR FIRE IN MY BELLY!** "

Natsu laughed, "Hey, that's my line!"

Igneel yelled, "Now, watch your old man work!"

" **Uh-oh…** " Ezel and Kyôka gulped.

Igneel hurled his mighty fire breath again, this time increased to ultimate, more destructive levels. The first fire breath attacked Kyôka; every trace of her body was consumed by endless flames, including all of her roots, her thorns, and her plants. With a dreadful scream, Kyôka exploded in a bright shockwave of fire, the remains of her body reduced to an endless rain of dust and ashes. The second fire breath struck Ezel; the fire was a thousand times hotter like the sun that Ezel's solid rock body melted and split in two. With that, the Rock Etherious fell motionless, and by the time he collapsed, he was reduced to a large pile of rocks.

The remaining Demon Gates caught wind of Kyôka and Ezel's death and began to panic. " **Let's get out of here!** " Jackal yelled, and he and his fellow Etherious started to leave, fearing the same thing might happen to them.

"Come back here, you cowards!" Mard snapped at his Demon Gates' cowardice. "Get your ethereal rears in gear and kick some Olympian butt!" Just then, Wendy and Romeo snuck up behind him, and the Sky Dragon Slayer conjured up small, sharp winds that cut Mard's hair, splitting it in half. Mard yelped, "M-My hair! What happened to my hair?!"

Wendy and Romeo laughed at Mard's expense, before they gave each other a hi-five. Romeo remarked, "Good one!"

Meanwhile, Natsu spotted Tempester the Tornado Etherious fluttering his tornado-shaped body. His mind flashed with an idea; he found the opportunity to defeat all of the Demon Gates at once. Burning with determination, Natsu grasped Tempester's tail and lifted him up, the monster unable to escape his grip, and the Tornado Etherious ended up sucking Jackal, Seilah, and Torafuzar into him. Natsu spun Tempester round and round, the three other Etherious mashed into a mixture of elements, and with all of his might, he threw them endless miles away into the empty vastness of space! Seconds later, a colossal explosion erupted, signaling the destruction of the four Etherious.

"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" Igneel laughed delightfully, giving a hi-five to Natsu. At last, the Eight Demon Gates were no more, never to pose a threat to the world again, thanks to his son.

"Whoo-hoo! You rock!" Natsu cheered victoriously.

"Congratulations, nephew," Mard remarked sarcastically, as he, Kain, and Rustyrose made their escape in their chariot. Natsu, Wendy, Romeo, Happy, and Carla took notice and began to chase after him. "But at least I've got one more consolation prize— a friend of yours who's DYING to see me!"

Natsu paused, his eyes widening with horror. He realized who his evil uncle referred to.

"Lucy…"

* * *

Observing the present world using the All-Seeing Eye in a mysterious dimension, the Fates predicted the inevitable. The final message of their prophecy proved true. The Eight Demon Gates fell, and Mard Geer Tartaros had failed; they knew it would happen all these years ago. Which brings them to their next task— Lucy Heartfilia, a mortal woman on the verge of death.

Natsu, Wendy, Romeo, Happy, and Carla descended to the world below as fast as they could, in the hopes of getting back to Crocus. They kept a remarkable pace, simply passing over the clouds that blocked their way.

Belno held a Thread of Life, the essence of a person's life… and it was Lucy's they were about to cut.

The young heroes sped faster and faster. They prayed for Lucy's well-being.

Hilda took out the scissors and inched it towards the thread.

They hoped they weren't too late…

 ** _SNIP!_**

The thread was cut.

And the next second, Lucy's hand turned limp in Yajima's hand.

"Lucy?" Natsu and his friends arrived back where they left Lucy. They went over to the blonde-haired girl's resting spot, their eyes silently pleading for good news.

Yajima looked back with a saddened expression, and he shook his head. This meant only one thing.

Lucy was gone.

"Lucy… No…" Natsu's face contorted with despair, his body trembled, and his eyes watered with tears. The anguish in his voice turning to silent sobs, he picked up Lucy's lifeless body, hugged it closer to him, and pressed his face against her chest. Natsu's friends felt their own grief of Lucy's death: Happy stood still and wept silently, Carla kept her gaze downward and closed her eyes mournfully, and Wendy instantly burst into tears and hugged Romeo, sobbing quietly in his arms, the latter hugging back while shedding tears of his own.

Yajima came over to Natsu, wiping a tear from his eye. He said sympathetically, "I'm sorry, Natsu. There are some things you just can't change."

Those words were sharp and penetrating; at the same time, they exuded a sincerity of sorts. His breaths slowly became normal as he stopped sobbing.

Natsu loved Lucy with all his heart. Everything had been perfect since she came along. He wanted to be with her, spend the rest of his life with her. Things hadn't changed, though, when the Lord of the Dead had entered the scene. Because of him, she was gone.

Or was she?

When he was forced to make a deal, that's when everything had gone wrong.

His debt lay with Mard Geer's.

Suddenly, Natsu lifted his face from Lucy's chest. Tears stained his face, but any other trace of sorrow had disappeared, and was instead replaced with a strong, determined expression. He gave his answer in a trembling voice, but its tone was filled with resolve.

"Yes, I can."


	23. Saving Lucy's Soul

In the Underworld, Mard Geer's lair pulsated with bright light and loud explosions, followed by murderous, frustrated screams.

" **WE WERE SO CLOSE!** " His dark aura reaching its peak, Mard destroyed his entire Conference Room in tremendous fits of rage, his minions barely dodging the fiery blasts. His failure of what should've been his most successful plan drove him out of his mind. "So close! We're one step closer to ruling the cosmos, but we fell flat on our faces! We _tripped_ at the finish line! Why?" He sat on his throne, adding in a sarcastic note, "Because that little Lucifer had to go all noble! Well, I hope she's happy, because death is a fitting reward for a traitor like her. And now, she's going to be stuck in the Underworld for the rest of her afterlife!"

Given the situation Mard was in, Kain and Rustyrose kept realizing, layer after layer, all of the consequences of their master's actions. Once the Olympians recovered from their battle with the Demon Gates, Igneel would like "to have a word" with his brother for the gravity of his treachery. And it won't be a pleasant one.

Suddenly, pounding noises came from the entrance of Mard's lair, startling the three. The wall crashed open, revealing a very tired and subdued Deliora with Natsu riding on top of his head.

"Deliora! My pet, my poor little baby…" Mard cried, concerned for his pet's well-being. He received only a small whimper in response, due to the fact he was beaten to submission by Mard's nephew. Any qualms about the deed, though, were quickly consumed by Natsu's anger. At the moment, nothing that happened now was any of his concern. He felt no guilt about venting his rage against his own uncle. That man had been the mastermind of the whole plot, complicit in stealing Lucy away from him… _her very soul._ Now that Natsu came all this way to the Underworld, he would finally have a score to settle with his uncle.

"Ah, Natsu!" Mard smiled jovially, keeping up a temporary façade to appease his nephew. "What do I owe the pleasure of this visit, nephew?"

Natsu was having none of it. He demanded, "Where is she? Where's Lucy?!"

Mard raised an eyebrow at his nephew's outburst, "Didn't she die trying to save you?"

Natsu snapped, "Don't play dumb with me! Her soul flew right here in the Underworld! She's still alive in there, I know it!"

Mard was surprised of his nephew's intuition. He asked, "How did you know she was here?"

Natsu explained, "I found the entrance underneath Mount Olympus. Your pet demon was _generous_ enough to show me the way around."

Mard chuckled, trying to make the best out of a bad situation, "Look, we can be calm here. We can be reasonable."

"Sure we can. And it's reasonable to show you why I'm angry," Natsu frowned, cracking his knuckles. "Now where's Lucy? I know she's around here somewhere."

Mard chuckled again, "Oh, Natsu, really. You're too much."

Natsu's patience ran thin. He jumped from Deliora's head and furiously grabbed Mard by the front of his clothes. He growled, "So help me, I'm gonna smash you into a million pieces. I don't care if you're my uncle; I'll crush you just like any other enemy. Now let her go!"

"Get a grip," Mard removed Natsu's hands from his clothes, understanding his nephew's impatience. "Follow me. I'll take you to see Lucy."

* * *

Mard and his minions escorted Natsu to the Pit of Souls, the Underworld's largest collection of endless spirits floating aimlessly in a green whirlpool. Anyone who died ventured there. "It's a small Underworld after all, isn't it?" Mard grinned.

Gazing through the endless ocean of souls, his eyes widened upon seeing the soul of Lucy floating in their midst. "Lucy!" he cried. He reached out to grab her, but the moment his hands touched the water, they suddenly wrinkled and turned old. He was forced to pull his hands back, before they slowly returned to normal.

"Uh-uh-uh!" Mard wagged his finger. "You mustn't touch the Pit of Souls. Should any mortal touch or bathe in its waters, it would be deadly. You see, Lucy's running with a new crowd these days, and not a very lively one at that. Let's be frank, Natsu; I don't think you'll ever see Lucy again, nor talk to her. Do us all a favor and go home. You've beaten me and you won. That's all that matters. Don't let your efforts be in vain."

Natsu paused to ponder Mard's suggestion. How could he ever move on without Lucy? He would never regain his happiness, not as long as she was trapped for the rest of eternity in the Underworld. After much deliberation, there was only one way to get her out of that world. He knew what must be done.

"Say, Uncle, you like making deals, right?" Natsu asked with a grin. "Well, how about this: take _me_ in Lucy's place."

"Well, this is something," Mard rubbed his chin, intrigued. This was the first time in a long time that anyone would actually offer to exchange one's soul for another. Then again, this could also mean that the Lord of the Dead would have revenge for his failure. "The son of my hated brother, trapped forever in the River of Death…"

"Going once!" Natsu dared with a smirk, showing off his index finger.

"Shouldn't there be a downside to this?" Mard wondered.

"Going twice!" Natsu added another finger. He knew his uncle would have to act fast if he was to accept his terms.

"Alright, alright!" Mard relented. "You go down there and pull her out. She goes…" He paused to add his end of the offer, "…you stay."

There was no turning back. Natsu already made his decision to save the soul of the girl he loved. He jumped from the ledge and dove into the Pit of Souls with a splash.

"Oh, and there's one more thing I forgot to mention," Mard reminded with a sinister smile. "You'll be _dead_ before you can get to her. That's not a problem, isn't it?"

Natsu didn't seem to listen as his ears were garbled up by the water. He swam deeper and deeper into the Pit, mustering his strength to reach Lucy's soul. But the more he swam, his body grew older and began to wrinkle and decay, the Pit's curse sapping his strength. But despite the overwhelming odds, his desire to save his love urged him not to stop. He won't last long, though.

It wasn't long before the Fates caught wind of Natsu's impending doom. His fate had already been sealed. Belno held up his Thread of Life, and Hilda brandished her scissors, preparing to snip it open.

Natsu was inches away from Lucy's soul. He reached out his hand. He was almost there, his last bit of life drained away…

And then…

 ** _SNIP!_**

Something unusual and unexpected happened: the thread suddenly turned gold, and the scissors failed to cut it.

Hilda asked in confusion, "What the...?!" She tried cutting the thread again, but to no avail, and the scissors ended up broken as a result.

"What's the matter with those scissors?" Belno frowned.

"The thread won't cut!" Ooba observed the thread, confused and bewildered.

* * *

Slowly and surely, a withered hand grabbed the ledge, before it slowly reverted back to its younger appearance, along with the rest of the body. Soon, the whole body climbed on top of the ledge, and it glowed in a radiant bright light, just like the thread the Fates failed to cut, and the arms cradled Lucy's soul. This could only mean one thing…

"No… This is… This is impossible!" Mard exclaimed in horror. "You… you… you can't be alive! You'd have to be a..."

"A god?" Kain and Rustyrose asked nervously.

Their surprised looks couldn't be more wrong. Not only did Natsu emerge triumphantly from the Pit of Souls, safe and sound, but a familiar aura pulsated throughout his body: his godhood. Natsu had become a god again!

Mard's frustration boiled once again, and his dark aura exploded. He screamed, " **NOOOOOO! NATSU, STOP! YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME! YOU CAN'T—** "

He was cut off when Natsu wrapped his left hand around his uncle's throat, his right arm expertly holding Lucy's soul. "Natsu… Natsu…" Mard wheezed in agony, the tight bone-crushing hold squeezing out his breath. In response, Natsu erupted with an aura of his own; that of radiant, golden flames representing his revitalized godhood. The flames were so scorching and powerful that most of Mard's clothing and hair was burned away, and he was left in a burned, crumpled heap. With the deed done, Natsu eyed his uncle with a fierce look.

"You hurt my friends," the salmon-haired boy snarled. "You hurt my father. My family. All those people." He paused to let this sink in, "Lucy."

"W-W-What are you going to do about it…?" Mard winced nervously in a strangled voice.

A loud and clear anger fueled his voice, "I'm gonna make sure that you won't hurt anybody ever again!"

And thus, Natsu, the Fire Dragon Slayer turned god, raised a flaming fist uppercut with a thunderous shout, and smashed Mard in the chin, the impact sending him flying into the air. With a dreadful scream, the Lord of the Dead fell and splashed into the Pit of Souls.

By the time Mard resurfaced, thousands of souls emerged, grabbing his body and attempting to drag him down into the water. Those poor unfortunate souls had been tortured by the Lord of the Dead for so long. It's payback time!

"Aaaaaagggh! Get away from me!" Mard screamed, struggling to fight off the souls as they kept dragging him. "Get your slimy souls off me!"

Carrying Lucy's soul in his arms, Natsu watched from the ledge with Kain and Rustyrose. Kain affirmed, "I bet Mard's not gonna be happy when he gets outta there!"

Natsu corrected, "You mean, _if_ he gets outta here."

Rustyrose crossed his arms, "I was about to say the same thing."

Kain nodded in understanding, "If… If is good."

"But look on the bright side, fellas," Natsu grinned at the two minions. "It gives you plenty of time to get a HUGE head start."

Kain and Rustyrose realized that Natsu had a point. With their boss trapped in the Pit of Souls, they could get their payback for years of taking his abuse!

Kain nodded in agreement, "The kid had a point. We'll literally be more than a hundred miles away by the time he gets outta here."

Rustyrose laughed in amusement, "You know, I actually like the sound of that."

As Mard's ex-minions watched with evil grins, Natsu smiled and waved his hand. He called out to his trapped uncle in a playful voice, "See you around, Uncle! Anytime you want a rematch, just let me know. I'll be waiting!"

"I don't feel so good! I'm feeling a little… **FLUUUUUUSSSHED!** " Mard screamed, the Pit of Souls completely sucking him in. One thing's for sure, that hapless ruler of the Underworld won't be making a major comeback anytime soon.


	24. A Star is Born

Back in Crocus, Wendy, Romeo, Happy, Carla, and Yajima stood watch over Lucy's lifeless body, anxious of where Natsu had been. Their answer came in the form of a heavenly light shining from the distance. Emerging from the light was Natsu, carrying Lucy's soul in his arms, and his godhood restored. Wendy, Romeo, Happy, Carla, and Yajima gasped in amazement and delight, and they kept on staring without saying a word. They realized that their friend succeeded in defeating Mard Geer, and went through the Underworld and back. With his act of true bravery, he was a god, a denizen of Olympus once again.

Natsu kneeled down and placed Lucy's soul back into her body. And soon, life and color returned to her as her first breath came sharp, with no recollection of what happened.

"N-Natsu…?" Lucy opened her eyes, noticing the figure of a smiling, shining Natsu in front of her. "What… why did you…"

"People always do crazy things when they're in love," Natsu chuckled gently, echoing Lucy's words from before.

That compliment brought joy to Lucy's heart as she stood up. Her love for Natsu was so deep that she sacrificed her life to save his, and ironically, he sacrificed his life for hers. The two leaned in for a kiss…

...but then, a giant cloud appeared under their feet, and Wendy and Romeo boarded it, before it whisked them up into the heavens.

Wendy asked, "So, now that you've gotten your godhood back…"

Romeo added, "…what are you gonna do now?"

"Isn't it obvious, guys?" Natsu laughed happily. "I'm going home to Mount Olympus!"

Wendy and Romeo swarmed around Natsu, laughing and hugging their friend for his greatest accomplishment.

Wendy cried joyfully, "We're so proud of you, Natsu! We knew you could do it!"

Romeo shouted happily, "Yeah! You're the man! You rock, bro! You're an Olympian again!"

Natsu smiled, "I couldn't have done it without you guys. Thanks, everybody!"

"Hey, wait for us!" Happy cheered, and he carried Yajima with his paws and flew up with his wings.

"You can't leave an old man behind!" Yajima laughed.

"I'm coming, too!" Carla flew with Happy after the cloud.

As soon as the five disappeared from sight, Gajeel Redfox reappeared, carrying assortments of hotdogs, sandwiches, and hamburgers. He said, "I'm back! I bought some snacks. Did I miss anything?" He paused and looked around to see that everyone was gone. "Where did everybody go?"

All of a sudden, he bumped into Levy McGarden, who was looking her own way around. Gajeel apologized, "Oops. Sorry, miss."

"It's alright. I'm…" Levy then stopped and stared at Gajeel with a blush around her cheeks. "Oh, hello. I haven't seen you before. I'm Levy."

Gajeel grinned, "I'm Gajeel."

Levy shyly asked, "Would you like to help me rebuild the town?"

Gajeel shrugged, "Sure, no problem. I've got nothing else to do, anyway." With that, he followed Levy out of Lucy's former resting spot.

* * *

By the time the cloud soared up, Natsu and his friends found themselves on Mount Olympus. It was no longer the place ravaged by the Demon Gates, but the same place restored to its beautiful, rightful glory. When Natsu and the others stepped forth, the gods and goddesses cheered and applauded, and the young heroes felt a wave of appreciation.

Weisslogia applauded, "Three cheers for the mighty Natsu Dragneel!"

Kemo-Kemo cheered, tossing flowers everywhere, "Oh, yeah! Flowers for everybody!"

Skiadrum added, "His friends are the bravest of all mortals!"

Aries sobbed happily, "We love you! All of you!"

Aquarius smirked, "Not bad, kids!"

Metalicana laughed, "Way to go, Ig! You're lucky to have a great kid!"

Taurus cheered, "Nice mooooooove, Natsu!"

Natsu and his friends stopped in front of Igneel and Cassandra, who stood behind the repaired gates. Without a word, the salmon-haired boy walked up the stairs and approached his parents.

"Natsu…" Cassandra was close to breaking tears. "We're so proud of you." The queen of the gods hugged her son, and Natsu hugged back. She had been waiting seventeen years to see Natsu return to their heavenly home. Seeing her son's face filled her with great joy.

"Mom," Natsu said warmly.

"Fine work, my boy!" Igneel laughed proudly, giving a pat to his son's back. "You've done it! You're a true hero."

"You were willing to give your life to rescue this young woman," Cassandra explained, gesturing to Lucy. And right she was: Natsu's deep feelings for Lucy and sacrifice enabled him to bring back his godhood long gone.

"For a true hero isn't measured by the size of his strength, but by the strength of his heart," Igneel clarified. "Now at last, my son…" He placed a gentle hand on Natsu's shoulder, "…you can come home."

Igneel gestured to the open gates of Olympus, revealing the entrance to the golden paradise of the gods. The rest of the Olympians circled around Natsu, praising him for his deeds. This young Fire Dragon Slayer, a god transformed into a mortal, realized that every accomplishment, every effort, and everything he went through led to this moment. He had proven his unshakable resolve under the stress of having it broken by mistakes he made, proving that he was _indeed_ a true hero. At long last, he would finally return home. He felt more happier than he had ever been in his life…

…but not really. Though it was his dream of rejoining the gods, the truth is, he wasn't sure if that's what he really desired. And it was for a different reason.

Wendy, Romeo, Happy, Carla, and Yajima smiled as they observed the scene in front of them. Shedding tears of joy, Wendy wiped her eyes, "Isn't this amazing? Natsu's finally home."

Romeo nodded, "Yeah. We're gonna miss him, though. He's probably got his hands full, now that he's a god again."

Happy smiled, "We'll come and visit Mount Olympus anytime we want."

Carla agreed, "Natsu would be most delighted to see us again."

An elegant voice spoke up from behind the group, "Yes, indeed. We Olympians recognized you as the friends of Igneel's son, so we bid you permission to come visit us at anytime." Wendy and the others turned to face the owner of the voice. That's…

"Mother!" Carla exclaimed.

"It's Chagot!" Romeo identified.

Happy recognized the figure walking alongside Chagot, and said, "And Grandeeney, Goddess of the Sky!"

"Grandeeney?" Wendy gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. "My real mother?"

As the two goddesses approached, Wendy and Carla's eyes watered with tears, delighted to have seen their mothers again. They rushed towards Grandeeney and Chagot and crushed them in a tight embrace. " **MOTHER!** "

Wendy cried joyfully, "Mother! You have no idea how glad I am to see you!"

Grandeeney chuckled, "My darling daughter, look how much you've grown. You've become a true Sky Dragon Slayer. When Olympus was threatened by an event of cataclysmic proportions, you stood tall, you weren't afraid, and you fought alongside my brother's son to defeat the monstrosity that was the Demon Gates."

"You mean the monsters?" Wendy giggled blushingly, "No, I didn't fight any of them, Mother. I just fought some of Mard's goons, and I set free the rest of the Olympians. Remember?"

"But still, your achievement is remarkable," Grandeeney admired. "Your cousin is very lucky to have found such a valuable ally. At any rate, you could have your name engraved in the Olympian pantheon."

Wendy complemented, "I admire Natsu a lot. Though he's my cousin, he's like a big brother to me."

While Wendy and Grandeeney continued their conversation, Carla and Chagot took their own time to speak to themselves. Carla said, "I thought Mard Geer trapped you and all of Extalia in his thorns. How did you escape?"

Chagot explained, "Jackal the Lava Etherious accidentally spilled a small amount of lava, burning away the thorns and facilitating our escape."

Carla admitted with a giggle, "That would've been both realistic and bizarre."

Chagot asked, "So now that Mard Geer is defeated, what will you do next? Will you return to our home in Extalia?"

Carla answered, "I think I'll stay with Wendy for a while. She still has a long way to go before she matures into a responsible adult."

Chagot smiled, placing a paw around her daughter's shoulder, "I understand, child. You can visit Extalia whenever you wish."

Carla nodded, "Thank you, Mother."

Amidst the celebration, Lucy observed the scene with a sad smile. Natsu had indeed returned home, but due to his status as a god, he could no longer be with her. The blonde-haired girl wasn't a goddess, but at least she could see Natsu one last time. She would always remember him in her heart, and in her mind.

"Congratulations, Fire Dragon Slayer. You'll make one heck of a god," Lucy breathed. "I'll never forget you. And I love you. Forever."

And with that, she turned away from the gates, her heart heaving with sad happiness. From the circle of congratulating gods, Natsu spotted her, about to leave Mount Olympus.

"Dad?" Natsu interrupted, causing everybody present to stop. Igneel and Cassandra turned their attention to their son and listened. Natsu continued, "Dad, I just wanna say that this is the moment I've always dreamed of. But…" He followed Lucy to where she left and took her hands, "A life without Lucy, even an immortal life, would be… empty. I…"

Wendy, Romeo, Happy, Carla, Yajima, and the Olympians stared in curiosity. Natsu's eyes glowed with sincerity.

Living the life of a god would be lonely. He didn't wish to remain here, knowing he won't be with her.

Finally, Natsu made his choice. "I made up my mind. I wish to stay on Earth with her. With Wendy, Romeo, Happy, and all my friends. I finally know where I belong."

Igneel and Cassandra exchanged glances, but nonetheless gave a nod as blessing and approval of their son's request. After all, Natsu and Lucy were in love with one another. Who were they to deny their son's wishes for a happy, better life?

"Well, c'mon! Kiss her!" Happy urged excitedly.

"Kiss her! Kiss her!" Wendy said eagerly.

"Come on!" Romeo added.

Lucy rested her forehead against Natsu's, and the two inched their lips closer, giving a loving kiss as the Olympians cheered on. Though Natsu's godhood disappeared again, he reveled at the kiss as he lifted her off the ground, not breaking it up. Grandeeney wrapped her arm around Wendy's body and gave a gentle kiss on the forehead, making her giggle. Carla and Chagot clapped their paws, and Romeo, Happy, and Yajima watched on with smiles.

Yajima shed tears of joy, "Don't you just love happy endings?"

Happy agreed, "Aye. That's Natsu for ya."

Romeo smiled proudly, "Yep. That's my bro!"

Leo gestured to a large cloud nearby and signaled, "Hit it, ladies!"

And just like that, the Muses emerged from the cloud in a heavenly light, performing their last song number.

Muses: **_Oh…_**

Ultear: **_Gonna shout it from the mountaintops_**

Muses: **_A star is born!_**

Brandish: **_It's a time for pullin' out the stops_**

Muses: **_A star is born!_**

Meredy and Zera: **_Honey, hit us with a hallelu..._**

Éclair: **_That kid came shining through  
Girl, sing the song_**

Muses: **_Come blow your horn  
A star is born!_**

Everyone on Mount Olympus celebrated. Natsu, Lucy, Wendy, Romeo, Happy, and Carla gave each other playful handshakes and hi-fives. Yajima saw Imitatia and attempted to woo her, but before he could act, the goddess kissed the old man crazily, making his eyes pop out. Natsu and the others laughed as they scooped Yajima up, with Brandish blowing a horn, Lyra playing her harp, and Leo playing his accordion.

Ultear: **_He's a hero who can please the crowd_**

Muses: **_A star is born!_**

The gang returned to the city of Crocus, where the citizens hailed their heroes' return. Natsu was reunited with his adoptive parents Makarov and Porlyusica, while Romeo reunited with his father Macao. During the celebration, Wendy kissed Romeo on the cheek, making him blush.

Ultear: **_Come on, everybody shout out loud!_**

Muses: **_A star is born!_**

At Mount Olympus, Igneel, Grandeeney, Weisslogia, and Chagot used their magic to make a picture in the stars, the image of the world's hero, Natsu Dragneel. This constellation was made by the gods to commemorate Natsu's heroism— a symbol that will shine bright in the night sky forevermore. Yajima's eyes widened in surprise and happiness: Natsu's image was in the stars. His dream had finally been realized!

 ** _Just remember in the darkest hour,  
Within your heart's the power  
For makin' you a hero too  
So don't lose hope when you're forlorn_**

"That's Yaj's boy!" Macao smirked, pointing at the stars.

Yajima began to cry, having witnessed the image of the hero he trained formed into a constellation. His old student, Gildarts Clive, would be very proud of him. Natsu, Lucy, Wendy, Romeo, Happy, and Carla joined him, proud of his greatest accomplishment as a hero trainer.

 ** _Just keep your eyes  
Upon the skies_**

The scene switched back to the gallery, with the Muses dancing around a vase of Natsu.

 ** _Every night,  
A star is right in sight,  
A star is burning bright,  
A star is born!_**

The song number ended with the Muses assimilating with the vase and freezing in place, making dynamic poses towards Natsu's painting.

* * *

 _Like a beacon in the cold dark night  
A star is born!  
Told ya everything would turn out right  
A star is born!_

 _Just when everything was all at sea  
The boy made history  
The bottom line (Bottom line!)  
He sure can shine (He can shine!)  
His rising sign is Capricorn_

 _He knew how to  
He had a clue  
Telling you  
A star is born!_

 _Here's a hero who can please the crowd  
A star is born!  
Come on, everybody shout out loud  
A star is born!_

 _Just remember in your darkest hour  
Within your heart's the power  
For makin' you a hero too (A hero too)  
So don't lose hope when you're forlorn (No, no!)_

 _Just keep your eyes  
Upon the skies  
Every night,  
A star is right in sight,  
A star is burning bright,  
A star is born!_

* * *

Meanwhile, from a dark empty space, Mard Geer's voice was heard. "Ah, yes! It's happy ending time! Everybody's got a taste of glory. Everybody but me. I got nothing. I'm here with nothing. Anybody listening? It's like I'm… what am I, an echo of something? Hello? Hello? Am I talking to, what? Hyperspace? Hello! It's me!" The voice then sighed, "Nobody listens."

 **THE END**


	25. Credits and Ending Song

**Main Cast**

 _Tetsuya Kakihara/Todd Haberkorn as Natsu Dragneel  
Masafumi Kimura/Steve Powell as Yajima  
Toshiyuki Morikawa/Steve Staley as Mard Geer Tartaros  
Hidekatsu Shibata/Jim White as Igneel  
Aya Hirano/Cherami Leigh as Lucy Heartfilia  
Rie Kugimiya/Tia Ballard as Happy  
Satomi Satō/Brittney Karbowski as Wendy Marvell  
Mariya Ise/Lindsay Seidel as Romeo Conbolt  
_ _Yui Horie/Jad Saxton as Carla  
Toshiko Sawada/Kari Wahlgren as Cassandra  
Daisuke Kishio/Eric Vale as Leo  
Ryou Sugisaki/Bryan Massey as Kain Hikaru  
Kazuma Horie/Justin Locklear as Rustyrose  
Shinpachi Tsuji/R. Bruce Elliot as Makarov Dreyar  
Shōko Tsuda/Linda Young as Porlyusica Dreyar  
Ako Mayama/Juli Erickson as Ooba Babasaama  
Tamako Nohama/Wendy Powell as Belno  
Miyoko Asō/Linda Young as Hilda  
Yuichi Nakamura/Newton Pittman as Gray Fullbuster  
Sayaka Ohara/Colleen Clinkenbeard as Erza Scarlet  
Mariya Ise/Kristi Kang as Levy McGarden  
Ryōko Ono/Monica Rial as Mirajane Strauss  
Masaki Kawanabe/Brian Mathis as Macao Conbolt  
Tetsu Shiratori/Ian Ferguson as Zancrow  
_ _Daisuke Endō/Justin Cook as Totomaru  
Atsushi Imaruoka/Jarrod Greene as Erik_ _  
Takashi Matsuyama/Ed Blaylock as Jose Porla  
Yoshimitsu Shimoyama/Doug Goodrich as Banaboster  
Yukana/Jessica Strauss as Ophiuchus  
Yutaka Aoyama/Dave Wittenberg as Franmalth  
Wataru Hatano/David Wald as Gajeel Redfox  
Yui Horie/Melinda Wood Allen as Chagot  
Shōko Tsuda/Pam Dougherty as Grandeeney  
_ _Mako Sakurai/Luci Christian as Young Natsu_ _  
Miyuki Sawashiro/Lydia Mackay as Ultear Malkovich  
Saori Gotō/Bryn Apprill as Meredy  
Eri Kitamura/Shay Moore as Brandish Mu  
Kana Hanazawa/Jeannie Tirado as Zera  
and Aya Endō/Jessica Calvello as Éclair_

 **Ending Song  
** **Go the Distance  
** Sung by Michael Bolton

 _I have often dreamed of a far off place  
Where a hero's welcome would be waiting for me  
Where the crowds will cheer, when they see my face  
And a voice keeps saying, this is where I'm meant to be_

 _I'll be there someday, I can go the distance  
I will find my way, if I can be strong  
I know every mile  
Will be worth my while  
When I go the distance, I'll be right where I belong_

 _Down an unknown road to embrace my fate  
Though that road may wander, it will lead me to you  
And a thousand years would be worth the wait  
It might take a lifetime, but somehow I'll see it through_

 _And I won't look back, I can go the distance  
And I'll stay on track, no, I won't accept defeat  
It's an uphill slope  
But I won't lose hope  
'Til I go the distance, and my journey is complete_

 _But to look beyond the glory is the hardest part  
For a hero's strength is measured by his heart_

 _Like a shooting star, I will go the distance  
I will search the world, I will face its harms  
I don't care how far, I can go the distance  
'Til I find my hero's welcome, waiting in your arms_

 _I will search the world  
I will face its harms  
'Til I find my hero's welcome, waiting in your arms_

* * *

 **Author's Note:  
** _Once again, another incredible story to boot! This took a very long time, considering it's the longest story I've ever written, but it's finally done. Special thanks to the friends and supporters for inspiring me to write this newest Fairy Tail Disney Parody. If you're looking for more stories, please check out Romeoladdin, Beauty and the Lightning Beast, The Little Rain Mermaid, Erzahontas, The Dragon King, and The Black Wizard of Notre Dame._

 _Or perhaps you'd prefer something with Pixar? Starting today, I'm putting the Fairy Tail's Disney Parody series on hold for a while, so stay tuned for the opening chapter of the highly-anticipated "Fairy Tail's Toy Story", based on Pixar's Toy Story._

 _Oh, and in case you're wondering what the setting is, besides Natsu as Woody and Gray as Buzz, the setting will take place in modern-day Japan, and there will be original Japanese humans. Y'know, the playtime when the toys became inanimate in their presence? So far, I'm open to suggestions on who will play the roles of Mr. Potato Head, Hamm, and Rex. And no, I'm NOT starring Lucy as Bo Peep. Instead, Mirajane will play the role. As for Lucy, she'll play an extra but super-important role in the story, which you'll find out soon._

 _I hope you all had a wonderful time with this story. This is TheSavageMan100, signing out. Peace!_


End file.
